"ملف ٣١/٦١ IV [ابن سعود ١٢٠] المفاوضات الأنجلو-سعودية حول الحدود" [ظ‎‎١‎٣‎٦] (٥١٢/٢٨٥)

2
limits within which Saudi Arabia and the other Arab States concerned would
respectively be free to exercise full sovereignty. Fuad Bey Hamza replied that
his Government considered that the only basis for a settlement was to establish
and allocate the grazing grounds in accordance with the political allegiance of
the desert tribes concerned. He maintained that the statement of King Abdul
Aziz’s demands was drawn up on the basis of the grazing grounds of four tribal
groups, in particular of the widespread Ahl Murra tribe, who acknowledged
Saudi sovereignty; and, in support of the line claimed by King Abdul Aziz
he communicated the names of 161 wells said to be owned by that tribe
Fuad Bey criticised the concessions offered by His Majesty’s Government asbenw
purely arbitrary and not in accordance with the material facts of the situation in
the desert. The Saudi Government had, he said, worked out, after the most
searching investigation and enquiry, a carefully plotted and rational boundary
which took account of the political and tribal situation, and they were prepared
to provide detailed evidence in support of their proposal; he insisted therefore
that the next move lay with Flis Majesty’s Government, and that, if they did not
agree with Saudi claims, it was for them to produce a detailed statement of their
criticisms. Hitherto, he asserted, His Majesty’s Government had merely replied
to the Saudi proposals by the simple counter-offer of an arbitrarily limited narrow
area which failed to take account of the material facts.
5. His Majesty’s Government are reluctant to acquiesce in a continuance
of the deadlock reached in the conversations with Fuad Bey Hamza last summer,
without making any further attempt to reach an agreed settlement. As you
yourself have advised, so long as this frontier question remains in its present
indefinite state it stands in the way of the general and lasting settlement of
Anglo-Saudi differences which His Majesty’s Government are anxious to bring
about. Moreover, the rapid development of oil exploitation on the Arabian shore
of the Persian Gulf renders it very desirable that a definite limit should be drawn
between territories which would be recognised as being under the sovereignty of
King Abdul Aziz on the one hand, and as being under that of the rulers of
Qatar, of the Frucial Coast States and of Muscat on the other. You will recollect
that only in September last Flis Majesty endeavoured to stop the grant of an oil
concession by the Sheikh of Qatar to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, on the
P^ r f °f the concession area was included in his territorial claims.
If the frontier is not settled there is a risk that similar difficulties may arise from
the exploitation of the oil deposits in the Trucial Sheikhdoms if oil concessions
should be granted therein.
6. It is clear, therefore, that every effort should be made, especially at
fV, 6 J?? esen k cri t lca l juncture in world affairs, to reach an agreed settlement of
e dispute, to put an end to an uncertain and unsatisfactory situation, and to
lemove a source of friction which has alreadv had an unfortunate effect upon
the general course of Anglo-Saudi relations: With this object in view His
Majesty s Government, after obtaining fresh information from the British
authorities of the Persian Gulf and of the Aden Protectorate, have reconsidered
• ^—question, and they are prepared to go to the extreme limit of concession
m the endeavour to formulate new proposals to meet the claims of King Abdul
T Z fif ! n 6 & lea ^ s f possible measure. They have accordingly decided to
au orise you to seek a favourable opportunity during the course of vour forth
coming visit to Kiyadh to resume negotiations in the matter, if possible with
vmg Abdul Aziz himself, but otherwise with his Ministers, and to furnish
you with the following instructions for your guidance.
i • ° U ^ n t 0rm ^ n o King Abdul Aziz that, as a result of the
nf ih c 101 f S W1 1 F o Uad h Hamza last summer in London, the whole question
. e frontiers m South-Eastern Arabia has been fully reconsidered by Hm
S T ^vcrnment, after consultation with the local 1 British authorities m
^1«imori h 11 i? ai 1Cl I f 1 , ^ 1S . Ma j est y s Government have re-examined the boundary
t . K Ul . Aziz, as described in the memorandum communicated
Fn-'irl TCav TTo r^i 1 aS *’ in tFe fhe detailed evidence supplied by
. , i Hamza, of the arguments advanced by him in the course of discussion,
cnnErnln v 6r “ f ° , ' matlon collected by the British authorities in the arias
M',,' r 0U Wl , ien ex press in general terms the earnest desire of His
¥ A,; l G r r T, ent ,°., g0 aS fai : as P ossi ble to meet the wishes of King Abdul
' I " llca e settlement of the question, laying stress at the same time
on the long-standing treaty obligations of His Majesty’s Government towards