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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [‎310r] (620/1144)

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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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Cypher tel«gr»u to Mr* atonehewer-BlrtJ (J©c<«>*
Foreign Offlo#* 8SMi AUgiaat 9 X 940 * £•!&
Vichy CoTcrni ent reg*. i^ing Syria see t*iy teXcgraasc l»o* 1/4 end
ftp*il l ( of Auguat 18th nd ^nst l^th rcapcctlYcly)*
o
Aa for Axah apa craao Z ahculd explain that according
to information auppllod on Au^u^t 13th by Saudi Anbian
Minis ter hare Ibn Saud felt th t before any general discussion
took place It souls be sell if Iraqi aovero*tent sere to
settle vi rious queetions in dispute eetween himself nnd Iraq
which were supposed to heYe been arranged pome time sgo
(Mejd Bhar^iar were still encamped on boundary and in receipt
of pay fro?i Iraqi Coven ^nt;« ini ter un< era too* Uiat if
these outstM* ing questions were settled. His Majesty aould
be willing; to send delegate for discussion® with Iraqi and
Kgypti^n <^oYem»ents If so desired, proYided It were first
clearly understood what was to be disouased, end also Uu t
whole project and subjects for discussion were ap 'roved by
His Maj* »ty f s aoYemuent*
3* Views of His . ; jeuty’s Covt n unt re fc6t follows*
ft* if meeting were to follow precedent of Bludsn conference, it
would Include non-official delegates and result of its
celiber»tiorva would be rode public* It soti^s inevitibia that
such a congress would cone largely under Influence of
extremist refugees, Palestinian and Syrian, especially as it
ie .aost unlikely that French authori ties would in present
circuaat nceu allow any Syrian politicians now In Mani^ated
Territories to attend it* Further, much of its time would
probably be deYOted to expounding refugees' grlcY. nces, thus
proYiring flret-elass materia 1 for enesqr propaganda* Za any
ease It would involve public discussion of oaitten* of the
greatest dell easy by private individuals who are not in a
position to have full knowledge of si twit ion in all its
aspests* His Majesty's Movem ent would take strongest
exception to suon a projact, which seems to them very
danperotis*
If proposal is far e n fid on tldh discussions between
representstlvcs of rab Oovem ento, these particular
objections would not arise* Hie Majesty's ftovanvtent fully
sycpathlsa with natural desire of Arabs to consult together
on ;i*»tter& of cota job Interest and in principle they would
welcome such a step* Practical difficulty is however thi.t
General Hurl seor^a, aa Hla Majesty has heard, to be taking
a raoat imprudent line, although I doubt whether he would go
ao far as to suggest to His Majesty or to the Egyptian
NO. 131.
AtuucS
* SWi
conference}*
Your telegram In c*189 (of August 16th t Arab
For my views on Shabwa nti proposed demarche to
Govern ©nt/

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
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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [‎310r] (620/1144), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2110, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100047229912.0x000017> [accessed 14 July 2026]

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