مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [و‎‎٧‎٥] (٨٠٢/١٥٠)

V
9
5
419. The Umm-al-Qura claims to have received private information from
Bahrein that Colonel Fowle, “ chief of the British consuls in the Gulf,” has been
authorised to hold at Bahrein, at the beginning of 1937, a special British
conference to decide about the political status of “these amirates ” and their
unification in matters of communications and customs dues. The interest of this
canard is considerably increased by a misprint which represents our opposite
numbers on the other side of Arabia not as the consuls (“ qanasil ”), but as the
bombshells (“ qanabil ”) of the Gulf.
III.— Relations with Powers outside Arabia.
420. M. Maigret, the French Minister, returned from leave in Syria on the
20th December.
421. M. Persico, the Italian Minister, departed on leave on the
11 th December. He hopes to obtain a transfer and seems to think that he will
succeed. He mentions Tehran and Havana as possible posts. The Legation has
been left in the charge of M. Bellini (paragraph 407 of December 1935).
422. Fuad Bey returned to Jedda full of geniality towards His Majesty’s
Minister. Several things he said suggest that he had had instructions at Riyadh
in this sense. According to one statement he made, Ibn Saud said to him that
never had he felt that his relations with His Majesty’s Government were so
satisfactory as at present. Apparently he feels that his attitude in regard to
Palestine has convinced His Majesty's Government of his sincerity and his
desire to be helpful. On the other hand, there was a faint suggestion in Fuad’s
words that Ibn Saud felt that he had now more than paid for the concessions
made to him in the matter of the Treaty of Jedda. In spite of Fuad
Bey’s geniality, no advance was made with the two major questions discussed
with him—the Transjordan frontier and the eastern and south-eastern frontiers.
423. The Saudi mission at the Coronation next May will consist of the
Amir Saud, Sheikh Yusuf Yasin, and a “ secretary ” not yet selected.
424. In paragraph 223 reference was made to a grandiose plan said to
have been formed by the doctor of the Italian Legation in the first flush of the
Italian victories, for the establishment of a magnificent Italian dispensary in
Jedda and the importation of a lady doctor and several nurses. There seems to
be little doubt that Dr. Fea did in fact propose to open a large dispensary in
the town, and there may be truth in the rest of the rumour "too. The Saudi
Government have, however, discouraged any extension of Italian medical activities
in Jedda, and this may have been why the Italian Minister telegraphed to Rome,
as he told a member of the Legation staff he had done, to ask that Dr. Fea should
not return.
425. A report that the Italian Minister had informed the Saudi authorities
that the journey of a large number of pilgrims from Ethiopia would be facilitated
by the Italian Government this season was regarded with some scepticism by the
Legation, because of the expenditure of foreign currency which such a project
would involve and the consequent derogation from the Italian regulations in
force in Ethiopia. However, the Saut-al-Hejaz now reports that 1,900 Ethiopian
pilgrims are coming to Mecca this season and that the Government of Italy are
affording all facilities.
426. The Soviet Legation has been strengthened by the arrival of a new
secretary, M. Litvin, with his wife. M. Litvin studied the economics of the Arab
States at the feet of M. Khakimoff, when the latter, after seven or eight years
in Jedda and Sana, became a lecturer at some propaganda institution in Moscow.
M. Khakimoff left for Mecca on the 23rd. He informed a member of the staff
of the British Legation that he was going to see the Saudi authorities about their
debts to the Soviet Government, dating from 1930, for the supply of petrol,
kerosine and other commodities. This news is surprising, as it was supposed
that even Moslem representatives of foreign States were expected to confine
their business conversations to Jedda.
427. Sheikh Abdullah Suleiman, Minister of Finance, accompanied by
Khalid-al-Qarqani, left for Egypt on a mission on the 16th December. It is
understood that he is to discuss Waqf payments with the Egyptian Government
and certain pilgrim matters also. According to reports' from Egypt, the
Egyptian Government propose, as an alternative to the former procedure whereby