File 87/1926 Pt 2 'Arabia: Bin Saud: Relations with H.M.G. Revision of Treaty.' [‎524r] (735/840)

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on the other, and that for the purpose of those questions I had definite
oowers enabling- me to discuss and draw up final agreements. I
added that I was also prepared to listen to any representations t a
he mieht wish to make on other matters in regard to which he mig c
wish to bring his views to the notice of His Majesty s Government.
There had been rumours that I had come with the intention of inter
vening on behalf of His Majesty’s Government in the conflict
between Nejd and the Hejaz, but I wished to take this early oppor
tunity of explaining to His Highness that this was not the case and
that there had been on the part of His Majesty’s Government no
departure from the attitude which they had publicly announced,
also informed him of my conversation with King Ah on this subjec .
At this point Ibn Sa‘ud, who seemed anxious to declare himse f on
this question, asked for permission to express his views and his
attitude. In the first place he wished it known that in all his unde.-
takings he was actuated by two motives : the first was that arising
out of the dictates of his religious convictions, with all that they
entailed of obligation to promote the welfare of his people and m
Moslems generally ; the second was his code of honour and upright
conduct, which to him was a real and live principle of action
Applying these two motives to the present conflict, he argued that
he had been moved to attack the Hejaz largely owing to the general
indignation which the tyranny and extortions of Hussein had pro
voked. He stated with some heat that it was only when Hussein .
tyranny had reached such a pitch as to result in rendering the
pilgrimage impossible to a great number of Moslems that he made
up his mind to remedy an intolerable situation ; and he acted on
grounds of duty towards his co-religionists. He went on to speak
without any prompting from me, of the conditions on which he would
accept a solution of the present conflict. I hese conditions were ,
first that the administration of the Hejaz should be entrusted to
some person or authority who would command the confidence of all
Moslems throughout the world; secondly, that the administration/
should be guided by definite rules to be drawn up and agreed upon
by representatives of the Moslem world; and thirdly that he
administration should always have in view the establishment of a
reign of justice coupled with all possible facilities for pilgrimagc.( )
In reply I contented myself with repeating my previous statement
of the neutrality of His Majesty’s Government and of their regret
that the Holy Places of Islam should have become a source ol conflict
and strife. I added a few general remarks of courtesy and compli
ment and brought the interview to a close by proposing that wc
should begin business on the following morning, and ^at prov isM>rH
ally we should arrange to hold three interviews a day. I also
suggested that the subject to be taken first should b e that of the
frontier between Trans-Jordan and Nejd, to which H.s Highness
assented. I took my leave at 9.15 p.m.
„ N o ( ,-,U r be^
tinie 6 giwe any'hint of a desire'Ihat Hi, Ma.es.b Govern™, should nred.a.e or
work towards such a settlement.