"ملف 8/7 I تقارير الاستخبارات في جدة" [ظ‎‎٤‎٣] (٥٣٦/٨٦)

Soviet Russia,
63. The Soviet Charge d’Affaires has presented the Amir Feysal with 5 rifles
of a pattern known as “ Turki ” and apparently much prized by Beduin. He
was also discovered recently holding a small arms exhibition in his Legation, No
arms are known to have been ordered.
64. The last consignment of Soviet benzine, 30,000 cases, was landed at Jedda
in February in completion of the contract of last summer (July-August report,
paragraph 63). Payment is understood to have been relegated to item 5 of the
“ budget
Turkey,
65. On January 28th the Turkish Ambassador called on His Majesty’s Prin
cipal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to tell him that the Turkish Government
had been asked by the Hejazi Government to lend pilots and mechanics for the
development of their air service and to send a military mission to give similar
help to the Hejazi army, Ferit Bey said that, before replying to this request,
the Turkish Government, having regard to their very friendly relations with His
Majesty's Government, desired to inform them of the request and to consult them
about it, He was thanked for his communication and subsequently told that His
Majesty’s Government saw no reason why the Turkish Government should not
accede to the Hejazi Government’s request. This request follows upon Ibn Sa’ud’s
failure to obtain British personnel (see November-December report, paragraph
59). There is no sign as yet of the arrival of any Turkish personnel or mission,
Egypt.
66. At the end of 1931 the Egyptian Prime Minister informed His Majesty’s
Representative at Cairo that Egypt now had a Consular representative of some
ability at Jedda and that according to this official’s reports the difficulties which
stood in the way of establishing friendly and regular lelaticns were not insoluble,
Sidky Pasha added that he was occupying himself with the matter, with the pur
pose and in the hope of solving the difficulties, which were of a religious as well as
of a political order. Hafiz Amer Bey, however, who went on leave of absence last
September, has not yet returned to Jedda and nothing is known lo ally either of
any progress in Egypto-Hejazj relations or of the Egyptian Consul's movements,
'Iraq,
67. Dr. Naji al Asil, King Faisal's first diplomatic representative at the cour;
of King Ibn Sa’ud, arrived in Jedc'a on the 14th February with a wife (not visible
and family and a secretary and clerk. He wes greeted as ‘Iraqi Charge d’Affaires
and Consul General by the Viceroy but his letters of credence were not accepted ;
they named him specifically lo Mecca instead of to Jedda, His luggage and Ids
note-paper bore the same address (see paragraph 40 of the report for September-
October). There has apparently been either a misunderstanding on the part of
Nuri Pasha, who stems (onvinced that Ibn Sa’ud agreed with him last Much
that Mecca should be the seat of the new Legation, for reasons of special considera
tion for his brother Faisal; or else Ibn Sa’ud did indeed agree to the proposal, but
his Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, who was ill and absent at the time, must
have managed on his return to make him go back on his decision and omitted to
mention it to the ’Iraqis. Whatever the cause, the effect was distinctly disagrt^
able to Dr. Naji, who has taken h's anomalous position very philosophically, how
ever, has failed as yet to secure an honourable compromise, and has settled down
in Jedda to await results. He learned at the end of March that King Faisal would
send a personal message by special courier to Ibn Sa'ud, appealing to him to
honour his bond. The incident is an ill omen for independent Traqo-Nejdi rela
tions. Dr. Naji has shown himself very friendly disposed to the Legation, which
he often visits for advice and to exchange information,
A[fghanistan.
68. Ahmad Shah Khan, Minister of Court and cousin of King Nadir Shah,
arrived on pilgrimage on March 17th and with the further objects of negotiating
a treaty with Ibn Sa’ud and of building an Afghan pilgrim hostel at Mecca which
should redound to the credit of the Afghan king. Having brought very little
money, he is having difficulty with this objective. Nothing definite is yet known
of the course of the negotiations, but there are indications of a deplorable atmos
phere of suspicion.