"ملف ٢٢\٢٣ II مؤتمر الكويت ١٩٢٤" [و‎‎١‎٣‎٨] (٥٤٤/٢٧٥)

(code) ® /36
Prom, Knox. Kuwait.
Tp, Colonies. Repeated Baghdad and Jerusalem,Post copy
Bushire.
No: 67.
Dated 5/2/24
In regard to forthcoming Conference meeting in first week of Marc!
I venture to impress on 3 -overnment the inevitable delay involved
in summoning delegates,especially from llejd. -hese must be
summoned by. next mail of 14th: February , otnerw^ise no suitable
opportunity offers until 38th:,which is too late.Even if telegrap]
is used , wire must leave Kuwait before 16th : February to allow
message to find them at A1 Ahsa in time to catch the mail of 25th
February.
Before summons issues, it apps&rs to me that clear
orders are required on following five points ,otherwise future
meetings of Conference will avail us less than the last meetings.
(1) Is economic pressure to be applied,or threatened,to
Bin Baud ? If not, I see no chance of agreement or use in further
discussion . Resident Persian Gulf informs me that stoppage of
Bahrain shipments from Bombay is only mistake oi steamer^ Agents.
(2) If answer to (1) is in the affirmative, pressure wilJ
lead to little, unless someone sees him and convinces him that h<
must yield to necessity and deser^ boundary. ^
( 3 ) Reply seems required to Sultan s message conveyed ir
my telegram No: 57 dated 33th: January. I suggest that it shoulc
take form that we regard Khurma,Turaba and Khaibar as essential
portions of Hedjaz territory and, if Bultan will not leave Hedj
alone , we shall deprive him of Jauf and whole of Jadi Sirhan,
where,as mandatory state,we shall make such arrangements as se.
suitable to us. He should .^Iso be told that King Hussain has a
least as much right to interest himself in Asir affairs as SuJ
of Nejd,both being border states, and that in no circumstance*
can British G-overnment admit interest of Sultan of Nejd in
Kunfidhah on the opposite side of Asir from H e jd boundary ,mo
especially as Nejd is not a maritime state expept * or A1 Ah*
coast.