File 87/1926 Pt 2 'Arabia: Bin Saud: Relations with H.M.G. Revision of Treaty.' [‎518v] (724/840)

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trom exchanged.
letters arising there-
Records of Proceedings.
at the meetings and of translating the letters, drafts and memoranda
tell entirely on Mr. Antonins and made a considerable call upon his
time. lo have undertaken the drawing up of formal minutes would
have prolonged my stay in Bahra considerably, and would have
entailed lengthy discussions and much additional work in translation
I decided, therefore, that each party should draw up its own record
ot the pioceedings to serve as an independent aide-mdmoire but not
to be quoted as an authoritative reference. 1 think that ample jus
tification for this arrangement lies in the fact that all that was
material and binding in the negotiations is formally embodied in the
Agreements and in the supplementary exchange of letters.
Number of Meetings.
6. My own record of the proceedings is appended as Annexure 2,
trom which it will be seen that twenty meetings took place between
Ibn Sa'ud and myself. I had, in addition, several interviews with
him of an informal nature, which were helpful in the cultivation of
triendly relations and enabled me to form some appreciation of his
psychology. I should also mention the frequent, almost daily,
meetings which took place between Mr. Antonius and the Sultan’s
principal advisers, at which the questions under consideration were
discussed in detail and the way paved to agreement between Ibn
Sa‘ud and myself. I thought it preferable to leave Taufiq Bey
Suwaidi at Jedda until I had entered upon a discussion of the questions
relating to ‘Iraq ; he joined me at the camp on the 20th October, and
remained there (without, however, attending the formal interviews)
until the 28th October, by which date substantial agreement had
been reached on all matters affecting ‘Iraq.
Questions Relating to Trans-Jordan.
Opening of Negotiations.
7. I opened negotiations on the questions relating to Trans-Jordan
at the first formal meeting on the 11th October, on the basis of the
instructions contained in letter No. 38484/25 of the 10th September,
1925,* and of the memorandum drawn up by Mr. Antonius dated the
22nd September, 1925, and approved by the High Commissioner for
Palestine (see Annexure 3). It was clear at the outset that my
Appendix.