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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [286r] (572/1144)
The record is made up of 1 file (570 folios). It was created in 21 Dec 1932-5 Mar 1948. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
9* I pass now to the question whether in fact
’•federation” or political unification in any sha i )e “.
the matter really at ieeue - is a practical proposition ror
the "Arab World" P
In brief, X consider it little more than a chimaera,
though I need hardly add, there are directions in which
differences in the field of culture and economics could oe
removed cr minimised^
The improbability of success for any form of
political unification arisein my view, from a variety
facts, which may be summarised thus:-
of
(a) Racialo The term "Arab" covers such discrepant^
elements a® the nomadic Beduin of Saudi Arabia, the Euphrates,
Beereheba and Tran8-Jordan, on the one hand, and the Levantines
of the &!editerranean seaboard on the other* and eve^ v/hen^
convenient, the Cairenes and Kellahin of iSgypto The racial
ingredients of the Levantine comprise an Arab element, no douDt*
but there are few Mediterranean elements unrepresented* I*"
is these I^evantines, or Syrians, who are more vocal politically
than all the resto
(b) Reli gious * The term "Arab" covers the Christ!^
".Arabs" of Palestine (say 97,000) and the Lebanon and Syria* who
have come into the political fold in order to preserve a united.
"Arab" front but who nervous of an "independence” which would
place oower in the hands of the large Mohammedan majority*
It covers also the great rival Mohammedan groups cu Shi a and
Sunni in Iraq and Syria, Alawiyin, Druze, etc-
(c) National and Dynastic ^ The term "Arab" covers the
bulk of the population ruled by independent governments in
Saudi Arabia, the Yemen, Iraq - and, when convenient Agypt
and by Mandate in Syria, the Lebanon, Palestine and Trans-Jordan*
It also covers the House of Hashim, which used tc rule the
Hejaz and now controls Iraq and Trans-Jordan, and the Saudi
dynasty which ejected the Hashimites from Arabia* Sach
group * Iraq, Trans-Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia * wouid
willingly accept hegemony over neighbouring countries, but
none of them would care to accept the minor r$le* But If
"federation", so far from implying a hegemony, involves
a voluntary surrender of sovereign rights, one can only
say that this is not what the "Arabs" intend and that
sovereign rights are the last that any of the larger units
would part with*
It is tO:be particularly remarked that, until the
recent revolution/Iraq, under the guidance of Ruri
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
,
had been the chief exponent of unificationc
I have not mentioned the question of the Caliphate,
which 16 apparently dormant at present, but any
attempt at unTic at ion or to assume the hegemony
of the "Arab" world, would no doubt bring this vexed
subject
About this item
- Content
This file concerns the British Government's response to the Pan-Arab movement during the 1930s and 1940s. Much of the correspondence refers to the prospect of an Arab federation, although the use of the word 'federation' is noted in some of the correspondence as being a mistranslation of the original Arabic expression, which would be more accurately represented by the words 'unification' or 'unity'.
Significant subjects of discussion include:
- Arab party politics in Palestine.
- Iraqi-Egyptian relations.
- Italian propaganda in the Middle East.
- The future of Palestine.
- Britain's post-war policy in the Middle East.
- Whether the Arab states should be induced to make a wartime declaration in favour of the democracies (i.e. the Allies).
- The formation of the Arab League (also referred to as the Arab Federation in the correspondence).
- Details of the Pact (also referred to as Covenant) of the Arab League, signed in Cairo on 22 March 1945.
- Whether representatives of the Arab League should be present at the Palestine Conference in London, in 1947, in addition to representatives of Arab states.
Notable correspondents include the following: the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; the High Commissioner for Iraq; His Majesty's Ambassador in Baghdad; the High Commissioner for Egypt; His Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo; the High Commissioner for Palestine; His Majesty's Minister at Jedda; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; the Minister of State in the Middle East; officials of the Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , the Commonwealth Relations Office, and the Indian Political Service The branch of the British Government of India with responsibility for managing political relations between British-ruled India and its surrounding states, and by extension the Gulf, during the period 1937-47. 's External Affairs Department; Noury Said [Nūrī al-Sa‘īd], Prime Minister of Iraq; George Antonius, Lebanese-Egyptian author and diplomat.
Also included with the correspondence are the following:
- Extracts from Palestine police summaries dating from 1933 to 1936, produced by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Jerusalem.
- A printed copy of a paper on Arab federation by the Foreign Research and Press Service, dated 20 June 1941.
- Copies of documents produced by the War Cabinet's Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East (also referred to as the Middle East (Official) Committee), including minutes of meetings (1941-1942) and a copy of a report on Arab Federation, dated January 1942.
- A copy (in French) of the Protocol of the Preparatory Committee for the Arab Congress, dated 7 October 1944.
- Copies of the Pact/Covenant of the recently formed Arab League (consisting of a printed copy in French, distributed by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and an English translation of the full Arabic text, which includes a passage that was omitted from the French version).
The French material consists of the aforementioned Protocol and Arab League Pact, plus one item of correspondence and a copy of a newspaper extract.
The file includes two dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence (folios 2-3).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (570 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 571; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Two previous foliation sequences, which are also circled, have been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [286r] (572/1144), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2110, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100047229911.0x0000af> [accessed 16 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2110
- Title
- Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:6v, 9r:24v, 27r:59v, 61r:62v, 73r:78v, 82r:93v, 95r:103v, 105r:106v, 111r:111v, 113r:115v, 118r:120v, 122r:132v, 134r:152v, 158r:199v, 201r:265v, 273r:354v, 356r:381v, 384r:394v, 398r:407v, 410r:516v, 518r:565v, 567r:571v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence