"ملف 8/15 سلسلة الجزيرة العربية - ١٩٣٣-١٩٣٩" [ظ‎‎٣‎٥] (٤٣٤/٧٠)

amm
■^asts
10
(13)
(Received on 24 th February 1934, with Political Secretary’s letter No. 6, dated
8th February 1934.)
Enclosure in Foreign Office covering letter, dated 2nd February 1934.
Letter from H. M.’s Charge d’affaires, Jedda, to the Foreign Office, No. 359,
DATED THE 12tH DECEMBER 1934.
With reference to my despatch No. 325 of the 31st October and to_ my
telegram No. 21G of the 10th December, relative to the visit of M. Roger Maigret,
French Charge d’Affaires, to Ibn Saud at Riyadh, I have the honour to report
that, as foreshadowed in my telegram under reference, my French colleague, who
arrived back from leave on the 3rd Jlecember, left for Riyadh yesterday in a car
provided by the Government in company with Haji Hamdi, the French-Algerian
Vice-Consul and Fuad Bey Hamza. In my interview with the latter on the
10th December, he admitted that M. Maigret’s visit would not be of a purely
personal and private nature as I was informed on the 27th October by Sheikh
Abdullah Suleyman. Conversations would take place_ on matters of no^ great
importance, except to the countries concerned, viz., Syria and Saudi Arabia, and
would relate to trade and commercial questions affecting the two countries.
Fuad Bey remarked that he expected to be absent in Nejd for about two weeks,
but that on his return he hoped to be in a position to give Sir Andrew Ryan more
information in regard to the objects of this visit. He also observed that
M. Maigret ivas “ opening the door ” of Nejd to other visitors.
2. 1 understand that M. Maigret’s projected visit was known in Syria at the
latest early in November, as the Indian vice-consul of this Legation, passing
through Damascus about that time on his return from leave in Istanbul, found
rumour very busy with the news. It was stated in some quartei s, that I e
Avas ready to lend countenance to Ibn Saud in his present political difficulties,
and the wildest conjectures were current according to which Italy and France
were the “ backers ” of the Imam and Ibn Saud respectively in the present
dispute, Great Britain, for once, being omitted from the picture.
3. It would be of great interest to learn in due course from His Majesty’s
consular officers at Beirut and Damascus, to whom I am sending a copy of this
despatch, whether any light, independent of the perhaps somewhat refracted
information promised by Fuad Bey Hamza, can be thrown from Syria upon the
inward reasons for this visit. Can there be among these matters of mutual
commercial interest to the two countries the rather baffling problem of the market
for thrones in Syria ?
(14)
(Received on 24th February 1934, with Political Secretary's letter No. 6, dated
8th February 1934.)
Enclosure in Foreign Office covering letter, dated 6th February 1934.
Memorandum No. 27 (177|2|34), dated the 13th January 1934.
The High Commissioner for Egypt presents his compliments to His
Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and has the honour
to transmit herewith copies of the undermentioned paper :—
To H. M.’s Minister, Jeddah, No. 3 of January 13th, regarding arrears of
payment due by Ibn Saud to a Polish group in respect of arms and
ammunition supplied in 1930.
Enclosure to Serial No. (14).
Letter from the High Commissioner for Egypt, to H. M.’s Minister, Jedda,
No. 3, dated the 13th January 1934.
I have the honour to inform you that the First Secretary of the Polish Lega
tion called at the Residency yesterday with reference to the arrears of payment,
amounting to thirty thousand pounds (£30,000), due by Ibn Saud to a Polish
group in respect of anus and ammunition supplied in 1930.^ Monsieur Benis
explained that the Saudi Government, having agreed to pay interest on the sum
outstanding, appeared to intend to rest on this virtuous decision until the end ot
time.