"ملفات 61/12 و 61/16 (D 80) معاهدة بين بان سعود والحكومة البريطانية" [و‎‎١‎٧‎٠] (٤٠٨/٣٤٦)

He stated further that His Majesty's Government, as mandatory for Trans-Jordan,
were already in occupation of the frontier as defined in the protocol, and were merely
asking Ibn Saud to recognise an existing state of affairs which they had no intention
of altering. He reminded Ibn Saud that, although the state of hostilities which then
existed between Nejd and the Hejaz had precluded any definite agreement in regard to
the southern frontiers of Trans-Jordan at the time when the Hadda Agreement had
been concluded, he himself had at that time informed His Majesty quite clearly of
the frontier which His Majesty's Government had decided to maintain. He pointed
out that Ibn Saud's right to the Hejaz, which His Majesty's Government were now
recognising in the proposed treaty, was a right of conquest, and could not be extended
to include territories which His Majesty's Government were holding on behalf of the
mandated State of Trans-Jordan, whose officials were actually administering the
territory in question, and whose interests His Majesty's Government were bound to
secure.
Ibn Saud replied that he appreciated the attitude of His Majesty's Government
towards the Arab country of Trans-Jordan, but pointed out that His Majesty s
Government had also a duty towards their other friends (alluding to himselt), adding
that the only reason that he had not conquered Aqaba and Ma'an was that we had
not allowed him to do so. In this connection he alluded to King Hussein s
occupation of those territories.
Sir G. Clayton repeated that His Majesty's Government could not admit
Ibn Saud's claim of conquest in regard to territories of which they were actually
in occupation on behalf of another State. Ibn Saud had stated at a previous meeting
that if actual settlement was postponed he would be prepared to give a full guarantee
in writing to the effect that, pending final agreement, he would respect the status qvo
and refrain from aggression across the frontier as defined in the draft protocol.
Sir G, Clayton said that he saw but little practical difference, from Ibn Saud's point
of view between the signing of such a letter and signature of the protocol. He
was convinced that a final settlement of this question by signature of the protocol
was the only satisfactory solution, and he urged the King to meet His Majest\ s
Government in this matter. He was prepared, however, to reserve his decision until
he had had an opportunity of studying the draft letter which Ibn Saud proposed
to write. - . „ „ , , 1 o- i-. m
His Majesty said that he would submit a draft oi the letter, and Sir G. C ia\ton,
while still affirming his conviction that the signature of the protocol was the only
satisfactory course to adopt, agreed to consider the draft in conjunction with the
whole of the draft treaty, , . T1 ^ j ^
In conclusion, Sir G. Clayton informed Ibn Saud, m regard to the suggestion
of the issue bv His Majesty's Government of what would practically amount to an
ultimatum, that such a course would not commend itself to His Majesty's Govern
ment and was not in accordance with the spirit of his mission, the object ot which
was to settle the various questions at issue by mutual agreement.
The meeting then closed. ^ ™ ^ ^ ^ i ++
On the same evening the King forwarded to Sir G. Clayton a draft of the letter
which he suggested writing on the subject of the southern frontier of Trans-Jordan,
together with a counter-draft of a treaty.
§th Meeting.
The sixth meeting took place at the residence of the mission at 9 a.m . on the
16th May the attendance being the same as at the fourth meeting. . tt -
Sir G. Clayton opened the proceedings by saying that since he had last seen lis
Maiestv he had been considering his counter-draft and the draft letter which le
snoiested in place of the protocol, and was now m a position to give to His Majesty
a new draft whchrepreLted the limit tojWch he felt hansel fable to go. He
felt that before presenting the draft, it would be adv.sable for him to go briefly over
tu ' 1 ^ K the maior points at issue were concerned,
the ground in s j hv discing the protocol. He said that he had studied
the draft letter suggested to him by His Majesty, but he could not admit that it met
the requirements of His Majesty's Government His Majesty s Government had
lafd down definitely what they considered that the frontier should be, and delay in
agreement while in no way tending to induce any change in the point of view of
His Makstv s Government, would certainly create difficulties in the future and
endanger that friendship and co-operation which the treaty was designed to confirm
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