مجموعة ٤/٦(٢) "عسير: العلاقات بين المملكة العربية السعودية واليمن." [ظ‎‎١‎٢‎١] (٧٩٦/٢٤٩)

the Rome conversations of 1927, and represents one of the aspects of Anglo-
Italian collaboration after the war, and one which is both interesting and fruitful,
seeing that it has certainly contributed to the maintenance of peace between
the States of the Arabian Peninsula.
It is hardly necessary that I should draw your attention to the contents of
the attached notes, and that I should request you to be so good as to draw the
attention of your Government to them.
I am also happy to inform you that I do so at the instance of his Excellenc,
the head of the Government, with the request that you should be so good as to
interest the Prime Minister, Mr. MacDonald, in the question.
At this moment, in which our two Governments are bound in the interests
of peace to continue their common work for the best solution of the problems
and questions which concern Europe, and one may say the whole world, the
Italian Government desires to express the hope that such collaboration and
understanding may also continue in regard to the problems of the Arabian
Peninsula, a result which could, not fail to have the most favourable influence
on the pacification of this district, and, in general, a favourable repercussion
on the whole work of Anglo-Italian collaboration.
Accept, &c.
QTrvrrnrT
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Note Verbale from Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
(Translation.)
THE Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs has the honour to acknowledge the
receipt of the notes verbales of the British Embassy Nos. 35t) and 365 of the 20th
and 26th October last, and of No. 372 of the 7th November, as well as the receipt
of the aide-memoire of the 30th October and the 17th November last, and with
reference to their contents and (with reference) at the same time to the Ministry’s
preceding notes verbales on the question and, in particular, to No. 228396/118 of
the 21st September last, have the honour to make the following communication
2. According to the British Embassy's note verbale No. 350 of the
20th October last, the British Government considers that its own position in regard
to the sovereignty over Asir is determined by the fact that in 1931 it entered into
relations with the Hejaz Government regarding communications between certain
localities under British administration and the port of Jizan. In this regard
note No. 350 of the British Embassy refers to a preceding note verbale No. 296
of the 24th July, 1931. The same British note No. 350 adds that such action on
the part of the British Government constituted an informal admission of the
rights of Ibn Saud over this province, though, in order to meet the point of view
of the Italian Government, the British Government deferred any direct and
formal manifestation of its recognition of the sovereignty of the Saudi King over
Asir. It further asserts that the British Government holds, so far as it is
concerned, that this sovereignty is valid de facto and de jure.
Since reference was made to the preceding exchange of notes in 1931, the
Italian Government considers it opportune to resume as follows the contents of
these notes :—
In its aide-memoire of the 30th May, 1931, the British Embassy informed the
Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs that the London Government had received a
note from the Hejaz Government in which the latter requested British
acquiescence in what, according to the point of view of the latter, should be
considered as the de facto and de jure status of Asir, and that in these circum
stances the British Government had the intention of recognising the absorption
of Asir on the part of the Hejaz, but that, before doing so, it desired to receive
the observations of the Italian Government.
The Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ reply was a detailed note verbale
of the 25th June, 1931, in which it referred to the discussion of the Asir question
which took place during the Rome conversations of 1927, and concluded by