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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.' [286r] (571/761)
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.
( T> ' r 7 \
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia).
CONFIDENTIAL.
8236
19^5
-
November 6, 1935.
Section 1.
[E 4241/318/25]
Sir Samuel Hoare to Sir A. Rya7i (c/o
Political Agent
A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
, Bahrein).
(No. 321.)
Sir, ^ Foreign Office, November 6, 1935.
AMONG the subordinate questions which will require settlement as a
preliminary to the proposed formal prolongation of the Treaty of Jedda is that
of the assurance given in the note of the 19th May, 1927, from Sir Gilbert Clayton
to King Abdul Aziz in regard to the export of arms and ammunition from the
United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia. For convenience of reference I enclose copies
of that document and of King Abdul Aziz’s reply thereto which are numbered (5)
and (6) in the series of notes exchanged at the time of the signature of the Treaty
of Jedda.
2. In your despatch No. 113 of the 11th April last, regarding the proposal
of the Saudi Government for the specific prolongation of the Treaty of Jedda,
you reported that the Deputy Saudi Minister for Foreign Affairs was anxious
to maintain the position created by these two notes, in regard to the question of
the export of arms from this country to Saudi Arabia. To this end Fuad Bey
had inserted the following paragraph in the draft note to prolong the Treaty of
Jedda, which, he suggested, should be addressed to you by the Saudi Minister for
Foreign Affairs :—
“ (2) The two letters exchanged between His Majesty the King and
General Clayton, dated the 17th DhuT Qada, 1345 (the 19th May, 1927), in
respect of the trade in arms, shall continue in force as long as the treaty itself
remains in force.”
You stated that you had taken the opportunity in the course of your discussion
with Fuad Bey to point out that His Majesty’s Government would have to
consider his proposal on this point, since the situation in regard to the trade in
arms had changed since 1927, and since, in particular, much attention had
recently been given to the purchase of arms abroad by belligerent countries.
3. The question of the assurance of His Majesty’s Government in regard
to the export of arms to Saudi Arabia was subsequently raised during the
conversations with the Deputy Saudi Minister for Foreign Affairs in London
last summer. Fuad Bey was informed at the final meeting on the 18th July
that His Majesty’s Government would be prepared in principle to extend the
validity of the Treaty of Jedda by means of an exchange of notes, provided that
a satisfactory settlement were reached on the question of slavery and the other
outstanding points of less importance. Among these was the question of the
supply of arms, and it was explained that it would be necessary for His Majesty’s
Government to quality their assurance on this point in order to bring it into
line with any existing or impending international commitments in regard to
arms traffic by which they were or might be bound. Any such qualification would,
however, be one of purely general application, involving no discrimination against
Saudi Arabia as such. In reply Fuad Bey expressed once more the objections
of his Government to any form of discrimination, and said that they could only
agree to safeguards, such as those involved in the “ special zones ” of the 1925
Arms Traffic Convention, if they were embodied in general terms applying to the
world as a whole. The discussions on this subject closed on the understanding
that a new formula would be drafted to embody the original assurance of His
Majesty’s Government in revised and up-to-date terms.
4. As a result of further examination of this matter I am advised that,
despite the doubt which prevails as to the exact legal connexion between the
Treaty of Jedda and the subsidiary notes exchanged at the same time, the under
taking given to King Abdul Aziz in Sir Gilbert Clayton’s note of the 19th May,,
1927, is actually co-terminous with the main treaty. It follows that the note
[556 f—1]
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.' [286r] (571/761), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2088, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100048209025.0x0000ae> [accessed 16 February 2025]
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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