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Coll 6/21(2) 'Saudi Arabia: Relations with H.M.G.: Saudi Legation in London and British Minister in Jeddah. Prolongation of Treaty of Jedda.' [171r] (341/761)
The record is made up of 1 file (379 folios). It was created in 14 Jan 1935-12 Apr 1947. It was written in English and Arabic. 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.
W hereas a friend in need of help looked to a more powerful friend to assist him,
he had had no help from His Majesty’s Government. Look what His Majesty’s
Government had done for Egypt and Iraq ! Those countries might be richer than
Saudi Arabia, but Saudi Arabia could, in his opinion, be more useful than either
to His Majesty’s Government.
11. After expressing great interest in the valuable historical survey which
the King had given, but pointing out that what we had to adopt as a basis was
the facts of to-day, Mr. Kendel suggested that one difficulty was that, whereas
countries like Egypt and Iraq, which contained rich natural resources, could be
developed by commercial enterprises which would earn their own profits, Saudi
Arabia did not at present appear to be economically in that category. If, how
ever, Ibn Saud had any particular kind of help in mind and would specify what
it was, he could be sure that the suggestion would be considered very carefully.
Ibn Saud said that there were all sorts of help that he might mention, but he
would speak first of aviation, to which he attached great importance. He had
sent to His Majesty’s Minister through t£ that man ” (pointing to Sheikh Yusuf
Yasin) a suggestion about the training of Saudis in aviation in Great Britain.
As to the Italians, he swore as a Moslem and an Arab that when the Italian
aeroplanes arrived, he wished that Allah would destroy the machines and the men
in them. Mr. Rendel reminded the King that the failure of other countries to
follow our example in reducing armaments had compelled us to rearm, and that
the expansion of the British air force was employing to the full all our resources
for the manufacture of aeroplanes and the training of men as pilots and
mechanics, and that, while this should tend to deter other nations from disturbing
the peace of the world and should therefore be of advantage to His Majesty, it
made it more difficult than it would otherwise have been to give His Majesty
direct assistance in matters of aviation. Nevertheless, if His Majesty would
make specific suggestions, they would be examined most carefully and
sympathetically.
12. The subject was again referred to at a later meeting the same day.
Mr. Rendel repeated his warning about the peculiar difficulties created by the pre
occupation of His Majesty’s Government with their scheme of rearmament, and
spdke of the necessity for co-ordination of skilled men with suitable machines if
time and money spent on training and equipment were not to be wasted, and of the
possibility that Saudi Arabia, having a very small urban population among which
to find men with a suitable preliminary training in mechanical work, &c., might
find it more difficult than, e.g., Egypt, to produce suitable candidates for aviation
work. Sir Reader Bullard suggested that, whereas it might suit the Italians to
undertake the training of any number of Saudis because of the political effect it
might be expected to have, His Majesty’s Government would be reluctant to
embark on any scheme that would not have a reasonable chance of success. He
also asked the King what His Majesty thought would be the effect upon the
Italians of any close relationship between His Majesty’s Government and Saudi
Arabia in matters of aviation. Was there any reason to think that this might
encourage them to seek to extend their influence elsewhere, e.g., in the Yemen ? It
was true that the Italians had themselves wished to identify themselves closely
with Saudi Arabia in aviation affairs, but how far was that merely a phase of
the war with Ethiopia and their hostility to His Majesty’s Government on that
point? The King said that the Italians still wished to be allowed to develop
Saudi aviation, and implied that he didn’t care what they thought. He added
bitterly that the pilots trained in Italy were no good. At one point in the con
versation the King said that if Iraq shook itself free of Turkish influence he
would not mind having some Iraqis to help in aviation later on.
13. It was arranged that Sheikh Yusuf Yasin should prepare for His
Majesty’s Minister a note of the Saudi requirements in aviation matters. This
note, Ibn Saud was assured, would receive the most careful attention.
Third Interview, March 21.
14. The King said that he wanted to speak about his future in relation to
His Majesty’s Government. He began with a long and rather pointless account
of the negotiations for the Saudi-Iraq Treaty of Friendship and Alliance. In so
far as it had a point it was intended to show the Iraqis as rather slippery
customers. At Riyadh, said the King, Naji-al-Asil suggested to Ibn Saud that
About this item
- Content
This file, like the previous volume (IOR/L/PS/12/2087), concerns relations between the British Government and the Government of Saudi Arabia.
The file largely consists of copies of Foreign Office correspondence, mainly between His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan, Sir Reader William Bullard, Hugh Stonehewer Bird, and Stanley R Jordan successively) and officials of the Foreign Office. Other prominent correspondents include the following: the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires to Jedda (Albert Spencer Calvert, succeeded by Alan Charles Trott); His Majesty's Ambassador in Baghdad (Sir Kinahan Cornwallis); Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd]; Amir Faisal [Fayṣal bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd], Minister of Foreign Affairs for Saudi Arabia; officials of the Colonial Office and the War Office.
The correspondence documents the progression of negotiations for a general settlement between the two governments, which would result in the initial prolongation of the validity of the Treaty of Jedda (the treaty signed between Britain and Ibn Saud in 1927, which initially expired in September 1934) for a period of seven years from 1936 (and for another seven years from 1943).
In addition to discussing matters relating to the proposed general settlement (e.g. the eastern and south-eastern boundaries of Saudi Arabia, slavery regulations, arms traffic, and Saudi debts), the correspondence also documents various visits and meetings, including the following:
- The visit of Amir Saud [Āl Sa‘ūd, Sa‘ūd bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz, heir apparent of Ibn Saud] to Britain (17 June-1 July 1935), accompanied by Fuad Bey Hamza, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs for Saudi Arabia.
- Further meetings at the Foreign Office between Fuad Bey Hamza, Hafiz Wahba (Saudi Minister in London), Sir Andrew Ryan, George William Rendel (Head of the Foreign Office's Eastern Department), and other Foreign Office officials, in July 1935, following on from meetings in September 1934.
- Sir Andrew Ryan's meetings with Ibn Saud in Riyadh in December 1935 and in Jedda in February 1936.
- Four interviews held between Ibn Saud, Sir Reader William Bullard and George William Rendel, in Jedda, during March 1937.
Also discussed are matters relating to the Second World War, including:
- An exchange of letters between Ibn Saud and the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, in early 1939, which principally relate to Ibn Saud's concerns regarding his country's security in the event of the beginning of general hostilities.
- German radio broadcasts in Jedda during the first few weeks of the Second World War and their possible effect on the Jedda population.
- The possibility of Iraq and Saudi Arabia formally joining the Allies in the Second World War.
In addition to correspondence the file includes the following: a copy of a programme for Amir Saud's visit to Britain (ff 339-348); exchanges of notes (in English and Arabic) between the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the British Legation at Jedda, confirming the prolongation of the Treaty of Jedda, dated 1936 and 1943 respectively (ff 189-192 and ff 4-5); a sketch map showing air routes over Saudi Arabia and Iraq (f 31v).
Although the material in this file falls inside the date range of 1935-1943, the final document in the file does include an additional date stamp which is marked '12 April 1947'.
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.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (379 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 commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 380; 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. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 6/21(2) 'Saudi Arabia: Relations with H.M.G.: Saudi Legation in London and British Minister in Jeddah. Prolongation of Treaty of Jedda.' [171r] (341/761), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2088, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100048209024.0x000090> [accessed 22 November 2024]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2088
- Title
- Coll 6/21(2) 'Saudi Arabia: Relations with H.M.G.: Saudi Legation in London and British Minister in Jeddah. Prolongation of Treaty of Jedda.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:4r, 5r, 6r:31r, 32r:75v, 77r:77v, 79r:152v, 158r:173v, 175r:180v, 186r:187v, 188v:189r, 190v:191r, 192r:199v, 201r:204v, 206r:266v, 269r:275v, 276v:278v, 280r:286v, 288r:293r, 295r:314r, 316r:380v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence