مجموعة ٦ / ٦٧ (١) "حدود جنوب شرق الجزيرة العربية وقطر". [و‎‎١‎٤‎١] (٧٩٤/٢٨٦)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia).
CONFIDENTIAL
Z
L
J
’V/ 3 ^
September 19, 1934.
Section 1.
[E 5874/2429/25
No. 1.
Record of First Meeting with Fuad Bey Hamza (De r puty Saudi Arabian Minister
for Foreign Affairs), held at the Foreign Office on September 19, 1934.
FUAD BEY HAMZA called on Mr. Rendel this morning accompanied by
the Saudi Arabian Minister in London, Sheikh Hafiz Wahba. Sir A. Ryan was
also present, except at the beginning of the conversation.
2. Mr. Rendel drew Fuad Bey out on the subjects he wished to discuss, and I
elicited the fact that he regarded the question of the south-eastern frontier of
Saudi Arabia as being of special importance.
3. Fuad Bey dealt first, however, with the question of the relations between
Saudi Arabia and Iraq. He wished to know how His Majesty's Government
would view a tightening up of those relations in the common interest of two Arab
countries, both of which were on specially friendly terms with His Majesty’s
Government. His Government had not made any definite approach to the Iraqi
Government, but they had the possibility in view, always provided that His
Majesty’s Government saw no objection. They did not wish to do anything
contrary to His Majesty’s Government’s policy.
4. Mr. Rendel said that he would like to have a clearer view of what
Fuad Bey had in mind. Speaking generally, and subject to the approval of the
Secretary of State, he said that His Majesty’s Government would welcome any
thing tending to promote concord and prosperity between the Arab States, and
would therefore view with sympathy any rapprochement between Saudi Arabia
and Iraq which had for its object the promotion of peace in Arabia. It would be
necessary to consider carefully the nature of any proposed understanding, to
ensure that it was consonant with the existing obligations of the parties, notably
those of Iraq under her Treaty of Alliance with us and as a member of the
League of Nations. He did not think, however, that such obligations would be a
barrier to a closer understanding between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, and considered
that any points which might arise could be covered by suitable drafting^ 1 )
5. Sir A. Ryan concurred, adding, however, that he thought King
Abdul Aziz had rather more in view and sought some sort of a British guarantee
of the proposed Saudi-Iraq understanding.
6 . Fuad Bey said that this was a misconception. The King did not seek a
guarantee, but wished merely to ascertain the attitude of His Majesty’s Govern
ment. He went on to ask what kind of understanding would be suitable, whether,
for instance, His Majesty’s Government would be a party to it or whether their
position would be merely that of a third Power, which would be kept informed
at intervals of what was passing and would take a sympathetic interest.
7. Mr. Rendel explained, on the one hand, the objections of His Majesty’s
Government to assuming any new obligations, and, on the other, the undesirability
of the indefinite multiplication of instruments having no real meaning. He
repeated, again reminding Fuad Bey that he was speaking subject to the approval
of the Secretary of State, that His Majesty’s Government would view with
sympathy a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, subject to what he
had said about the need for harmonising it with existing obligations, but that,
while they would be glad to receive such information as the parties directly
concerned might give them, they would prefer not to be themselves parties to the
understanding arrived at.
(i) This question has already been fully considered by the Foreign Office legal advisers in connexion
with an earlier proposal for a Perso-lraqi non-aggression pact.
[206 t— 1 ]