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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [‎300r] (600/1144)

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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. .

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SPECIAL DISTRIBUTION ANDwtAR CABIIIET
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From: SAUDI-ARABIA .
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R, llo20 o a o m o September 4th, 1940.
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I spoke to Amir Faisal at Taif and left an aide-memoire
with him. At a later interview he offered the following observa
tions based mainly on a message he had received from Ibn Saud.
2. He and the King were very grateful for expose of His
Majesty's Government's views. Ibn Saud saw no point in holding a
conference at this juncture; Iraqi Government appeared to be com
posed of individuals each working for his own ends rather than in
the_interests of Arab world: position of Egypt was difficult;
Syria was an unknown quantify which could not be oroperly repre
sented by anyone; ^ policy in Palestine and Trans-Iordan was the
concern of His Majesty's Government; Imam would, he was convinced,
always follow his, Ibn Saud’s lead. Matters would be discussed
and opinions expressed which could not fail to embarrass His
Majesty's Government, Ibn Saud thought that Nuri had only sug
gested conference with a view to his own self aggrandisement.
Ibn Saud could demonstrate to His Majesty's Government that he did
not wish to play any dominating role or interfere in affairs of
Arab states, but as a Moslem he was anxious to do all in his power
to help so long as he was not asked to do anything which in his
opinion was contrary to interests of Arabs or of His Majesty’s
Government. As the future of Arab states lay in the hands of His
Majesty s Government and was dependent on a British victory, v/hich
could_be brought nearer by full Arab co-operation, it would be well
for His Majesty's Government to counter enemy propaganda by
attracting sympathy and goodwill of all Arabs. Ibn Saud did not
wish to tabulate any views on future fate of Arabs which he felt
was a matter for His Majesty’s Government to decide in due course.
Amir Faisal did not think that time was ripe for [? Questioning],
what was desirable was good understanding among Arab states and
community of aims.
3. Asked in what way His Majesty's Government could
"attract Arabs" Amir replied that ibn Saud was referring to
Palestine which alone stood in way of a perfect understanding
between His Maiesty's Government and Arab world. Though Ibn Saud
was convinced that His Majesty's Government genuinely intended to
implement the Yhite Paper, many Arabs did not believe it and
unconsciously immigration figures were lending colour in these
peoples’ eyes to enemy insinuations that His Majesty's Government’s
real aim was to form a Jewish state in Palestine.
4. In reply to Amir Faisal’s question as to attitude of
Egyptian Government to Nuri's proposals, I said Iraqi Minister
for Foreign Affairs had received a cold douche (Cairo telegram
pou
N 0 . 932)
\ND\k

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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
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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [‎300r] (600/1144), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2110, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100047229912.0x000003> [accessed 15 July 2026]

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