مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [و‎‎٧] (٨٠٢/١٤)

consolation on the main issue was more difficult, but Ibn Saud was brought to
admit the extraordinary difficulty of the situation of His Majesty’s Government
by a question, to which he at once said “yes,” whether, in his rise from being
ruler of Nejd to his present proud position, he had not found, at every stage in his
progress, that political questions became more complicated as his points of contact
with the outer world increased.
498. Throughout the conversation the King was friendly and reasonable.
No reference, however, was made to the question which always touches him on the
most sensitive spot, viz., the frontier of Saudi Arabia with Qatar and the Trucial
Sheikhs, a subject on which a note had been sent in by His Majesty’s Legation a
short time before.
499. The news that C.A.S.O.C. were showing signs of an intention to
prospect in the Salwa region compelled His Majesty’s Government to make a com
munication to Ibn Saud in order to forestall any attempt to prospect in the area in
dispute. The communication, which was sent in by His Majesty’s Minister on
the 4th December, was drafted, in accordance with Foreign Office instructions, so
as to have as little as possible the appearance of an ultimatum. The note referred
to the activity of C.A.S.O.C. near Qasr-al-Salwa, said that His Majesty’s Govern
ment assumed that the company would not overstep the frontier proposed by His
Majesty’s Government so long as no final agreement had been reached between the
two Governments, professed readiness to reopen negotiations for a settlement on
the lines already indicated, and suggested that a joint Anglo-Saudi commission
should be appointed to clear up doubts as to certain topographical features. The
note described again what His Majesty’s Government considered to be the rightful
frontier. While this note was still awaiting a reply His Majesty’s Minister had
an opportunity to meet both Sheikh Yusuf Yasin and Fuad Bey. Sheikh Yusuf
said that the basis of the King’s claim was that it was he and not the Amirs in
the Persian Gulf who controlled and administered the area in dispute. He added
that the King had referred to the note that morning and had asked whether the
British wished to treat him as the Italians had treated Ethiopia and the Japanese
China, and there is no reason to regard this as exaggerated, since the statement
agrees with the protest which Ibn Saud made at the time of Mr. Rendel’s visit
against what he describes as the “ hemming-in ” policy of His Majesty’s Govern
ment on the Persian Gulf. Fuad Bey informed Sir Reader Bullard that
C.A.S.O.C. had been told about the disputed territory, and that we need not fear
they would take action in it. He, however, said that the oil company from the
Gulf side had sent people into the disputed area, though he seemed to refer only
to a survey of the position of Safaq (Sufuk), and he stuck to the Saudi position,
the old arguments being repeated on both sides. He said that since the parties
could not agree on principles the despatch of a mission would have no point, but
Sir Reader Bullard said that we believed the Saudi claim to be based in part on
faulty topographical information, and we wanted all doubt in this respect to be
removed. Fuad repeated what is always Ibn Sand’s attitude on this topic : His
Majestys’ Government always give him fair words, but never anything else.
Sir Reader Bullard recalled to Fuad Bey several questions which had been settled
in a sense favourable to the Saudi Government, and reminded him that the frontier
they proposed represented enormous concessions beyond what His Majesty’s
Government believe to be the Saudi Government’s legal frontier. Fuad Bey talked
about compromise, but was unable to make any practical suggestion, even privately,
for such a compromise. Nor could Sir Reader Bullard hold out any hope that His
Majesty’s Government could make any further concession.
500. The frontier question was not mentioned at the interview which His
Majesty’s Minister had with Ibn Saud on the 15th December. The Saudi reply,
dated the 19th December, was received a few days later. It welcomes the
suggestion that negotiations should be reopened, but asserts that if they have been
abortive hitherto that is entirely because His Majesty’s Government “ do not
agree to the actual situation of what is in reality in the possession and under
the influence of His Majesty the King.” It enquires whether His Majesty’s
Government do not agree that before sending a topographical mission it would be
advisable to come to a final settlement of the frontier, by specifying either places
or co-ordinates. Unfortunately, the portion of the note which dealt with the
question of prospecting was badly drafted. It said that the Saudi Arabian
Government had explained to C.A.S.O.C. about the points in dispute, and did not