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‘File 61/31 IV (D 120) Anglo-Saudi frontier negotiations’ [136v] (285/512)
The record is made up of 1 volume (255 folios). It was created in 30 Sep 1935-24 Mar 1936. It was written in English. 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
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2
limits within which Saudi Arabia and the other Arab States concerned would
respectively be free to exercise full sovereignty. Fuad Bey Hamza replied that
his Government considered that the only basis for a settlement was to establish
and allocate the grazing grounds in accordance with the political allegiance of
the desert tribes concerned. He maintained that the statement of King Abdul
Aziz’s demands was drawn up on the basis of the grazing grounds of four tribal
groups, in particular of the widespread Ahl Murra tribe, who acknowledged
Saudi sovereignty; and, in support of the line claimed by King Abdul Aziz
he communicated the names of 161 wells said to be owned by that tribe
Fuad Bey criticised the concessions offered by His Majesty’s Government asbenw
purely arbitrary and not in accordance with the material facts of the situation in
the desert. The Saudi Government had, he said, worked out, after the most
searching investigation and enquiry, a carefully plotted and rational boundary
which took account of the political and tribal situation, and they were prepared
to provide detailed evidence in support of their proposal; he insisted therefore
that the next move lay with Flis Majesty’s Government, and that, if they did not
agree with Saudi claims, it was for them to produce a detailed statement of their
criticisms. Hitherto, he asserted, His Majesty’s Government had merely replied
to the Saudi proposals by the simple counter-offer of an arbitrarily limited narrow
area which failed to take account of the material facts.
5. His Majesty’s Government are reluctant to acquiesce in a continuance
of the deadlock reached in the conversations with Fuad Bey Hamza last summer,
without making any further attempt to reach an agreed settlement. As you
yourself have advised, so long as this frontier question remains in its present
indefinite state it stands in the way of the general and lasting settlement of
Anglo-Saudi differences which His Majesty’s Government are anxious to bring
about. Moreover, the rapid development of oil exploitation on the Arabian shore
of the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
renders it very desirable that a definite limit should be drawn
between territories which would be recognised as being under the sovereignty of
King Abdul Aziz on the one hand, and as being under that of the rulers of
Qatar, of the Frucial Coast States and of Muscat on the other. You will recollect
that only in September last Flis Majesty endeavoured to stop the grant of an oil
concession by the Sheikh of Qatar to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, on the
P^ r f °f the concession area was included in his territorial claims.
If the frontier is not settled there is a risk that similar difficulties may arise from
the exploitation of the oil deposits in the Trucial Sheikhdoms if oil concessions
should be granted therein.
6. It is clear, therefore, that every effort should be made, especially at
fV, 6 J?? esen k cri t lca l juncture in world affairs, to reach an agreed settlement of
e dispute, to put an end to an uncertain and unsatisfactory situation, and to
lemove a source of friction which has alreadv had an unfortunate effect upon
the general course of Anglo-Saudi relations: With this object in view His
Majesty s Government, after obtaining fresh information from the British
authorities of the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
and of the Aden Protectorate, have reconsidered
• ^—question, and they are prepared to go to the extreme limit of concession
m the endeavour to formulate new proposals to meet the claims of King Abdul
T Z fif ! n 6 & lea ^ s f possible measure. They have accordingly decided to
au orise you to seek a favourable opportunity during the course of vour forth
coming visit to Kiyadh to resume negotiations in the matter, if possible with
vmg Abdul Aziz himself, but otherwise with his Ministers, and to furnish
you with the following instructions for your guidance.
i • ° U ^ n t 0rm ^ n o King Abdul Aziz that, as a result of the
nf ih c 101 f S W1 1 F o Uad h Hamza last summer in London, the whole question
. e frontiers m South-Eastern Arabia has been fully reconsidered by Hm
S T ^vcrnment, after consultation with the local 1 British authorities m
^1«imori h 11 i? ai 1Cl I f 1 , ^ 1S . Ma j est y s Government have re-examined the boundary
t . K Ul . Aziz, as described in the memorandum communicated
Fn-'irl TCav TTo r^i 1 aS *’ in tFe fhe detailed evidence supplied by
. , i Hamza, of the arguments advanced by him in the course of discussion,
cnnErnln v 6r “ f ° , ' matlon collected by the British authorities in the arias
M',,' r 0U Wl , ien ex press in general terms the earnest desire of His
¥ A,; l G r r T, ent ,°., g0 aS fai : as P ossi ble to meet the wishes of King Abdul
' I " llca e settlement of the question, laying stress at the same time
on the long-standing treaty obligations of His Majesty’s Government towards
About this item
- Content
The volume’s contents relate to ongoing negotiations between the British and Saudi Governments over the formal establishment of Saudi Arabia’s southern and eastern borders. The volume, which is a continuation of correspondence found in IOR/R/15/1/605, focuses on land which is covered by the Qatar Oil Concession, and is disputed by King ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd (Ibn Sa‘ūd) of Saudi Arabia and Shaikh ‘Abdullāh bin Jāsim Āl Thānī of Qatar. The volume’s principal correspondents are Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Fowle, 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. , Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch, 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. in Bahrain, and Andrew Ryan, British Minister at Jeddah.
Contents of the volume include:
- Correspondence relating to the arrangements and outcome of a Royal Air Force (RAF) aerial reconnaissance survey, conducted in October 1935, over Qatar’s projected southern boundaries;
- A map showing the reconnaissance route (folio 74B), a number of aerial photographs (folios 75-81), and a report of the reconnaissance (folios 72-73) are included in the volume;
- The Saudi Government’s response to the signing of an oil concession between the Shaikh ‘Abdullāh and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company;
- British objections to direct communication between Ibn Sa‘ūd and Shaikh ‘Abdullāh, with the assertion that such communication contravenes treaties signed with the British Government; discussion over the extent of Abu Dhabi’s territory, including a telegrammed report, written by Loch, dated 4 November 1935, of a conversation with Shaikh Shakbut bin Sultan of Abu Dhabi over his territories (folios 92-94);
- An RAF sketch map of the Qatar Peninsula (folio 146);
- A report of a conversation in January 1936 between Loch and Shaikh ‘Abdullāh concerning Qatar’s southern boundaries, with a sketch map included (folios 190-95);
- Suggestions of an earlier agreement between Qatar and the Saudi Kingdom predating Britain’s 1916 treaty with Qatar.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (255 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest items at the front of the volume to the latest at the end. There is a set of office notes at the end of the volume (folios 235-44) that mirror the chronological arrangement. An index at the front of the volume (folio 2) lists key topics covered, with a folio number which refers to the original uncircled pencil foliation system used throughout the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: There are two incomplete foliation sequences and one complete foliation sequence. The complete sequence is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. It begins on the first folio after the front cover, on number 1A, and ends on the last folio of writing, which is f 245. The following foliation anomalies occur: ff 1A-D; ff 74A-B.
Other characteristics: The volume contains a number of photographs (folios 75-81) which are housed in transparent polyester sleeves.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘File 61/31 IV (D 120) Anglo-Saudi frontier negotiations’ [136v] (285/512), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/606, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100050152384.0x000056> [accessed 1 April 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/606
- Title
- ‘File 61/31 IV (D 120) Anglo-Saudi frontier negotiations’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 1br:1dv, 2r:26v, 29r:73v, 74ar:74av, 82r:132v, 135v:145v, 147r:151v, 157r:157v, 158v:171v, 173r:194v, 196r:249v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence