مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [ظ‎‎١‎١‎٤] (٨٠٢/٢٢٩)

4
slight delay, due apparently to some last-minute hesitation on the part of Ibn
^aud, but the treaty was in fact signed on the 2nd April. It will be dealt with
further in the report for April.
95. On the 1 st March the Saudi Government formulated a fresh protest
(c/. paragraph 59 of the last report) regarding alleged violations of their territory
by 1 ransjordan patrols. The places claimed by both sides are so marginal that
disputes can only be avoided by a settlement of the general question of the lie
of the frontier, which will be referred to below. No reply has been returned so
far to the specific complaints of the Saudi Government.
96. On the 29th February the Political Agent in Koweit telegraphed that
the sheikh had accepted in principle the proposals made by Fuad Bey to Sir
Andrew Ryan at Riyadh in November (paragraph 399 of the report for December).
J uad Bey was so informed in due course, but the question of further procedure
to give effect to the proposals is still outstanding.
97. Ihe Legation has had confidential access to a tracing of the map
prepared by the Saudi-Yemen frontier commissioners (paragraph 60 of the last
report). As a geographical document it is quite valueless, but it contains a wealth
of names on either side of the boundary shown in it and should, therefore, be useful
for the solution of any future differences.
III .—Relations with Powers Outside A rabia.
98 Sir Andrew Ryan called on Fuad Bey on the 16th March and made a
series of statements to him regarding the most important questions outstanding
between His Majesty’s Government and the Saudi Government, viz., (a) the future
of the Treaty of Jedda and the questions connected with the proposal to extend
its operation for a term of years, the most important of which are that of slavery
and a new formula regarding the trade in arms from the United Kingdom;
(5) the eastern and south-eastern frontiers ; and (c) the Transjordan-Nejd frontier.
The question of the Koweit blockade (see paragraph 96 above) was also discussed,
and Sir Andrew Ryan adverted to that of air facilities on the Hasa Coast, which
has been left in abeyance pending the discussion of other questions. He further
threw out feelers regarding Saudi-Italian relations and the latest attitude of the
Saudi Government in regard to a possible entry into the League of Nations.
99. luad Bey s reactions were for the most part very guarded, but the
conversations were continued on the 28th and 30th March. Some progress was
made with the subjects at (a) and (c) above, but the general impression left in Sir
Andrew Ryan s mind was that the Saudi Government are no longer keen on
expediting the settlement of any of the major questions pending a clarification
of the European situation.
190. The pi esentation of an aeroplane to Ibn Saud by the French Govern
ment has been recorded above. The press announced during the month that a
sum of 50,000 fr., apparently the revenue of Haramayn Wakfs, in Tunis had been
forwarded to the Hejaz with a letter from the bey.
101 The Italian Charge d’Affaires remained absent throughout the month.
He would appear to have won all along the line in his struggle against Shnior
Odello. It became pretty clear during the month that Signor Odello would not
return. His ladies hung on, but their house was relet to the Afghan Legation as
from the 24th March and mother and daughter receded into a small portion of it,
pending their departure. There has been no sign of any development in Saudi-
Itahan relations. The Saudi Government seemed to be determined to adhere to
the pohcy of neutrality defined in their note of the 28th January to the League
of Nations (paragraph 65 of the last report). It may be mentioned that in that
note they laid special stress on their position as a Moslem Power and custodians
of the Holy Places, as making it incumbent on them to maintain friendly relations
with all Powers having Moslem subjects.
102 . Arrangements were made in March for the despatch of a stallion and
three mares as a gift from Ibn Saud, or theoretically, it would appear from
the Amir Saud, as a gift to the Queen of the Netherlands. PP
103. The Diplomatic Corps in Jedda continues to dwindle. The Turkish
representative left on the 1 st March, the Iranian on the 25th March. The Belgian
consul went oh to Brussels on the 20 th March. A young but enterprising local
merchant, Muhammad Abdullah Alireza, h-* 3 " Vcome honorary Czechoslovakian
consul.