'File 8/15 Arab Series - 1933-1939' [‎161r] (321/434)

15
Enclosure to letter No. 283, dated 2nd November 1936.
Brief Summary of a Statement made by Sheikh Yusuf Yasin to His Majesty's
Minister on October 5, 1936.
FRIENDSHIP with His Majesty’s Government had long been the basis of
Ibn Sand’s foreign policy. He had been in relations with them since the early
days of his career and was grateful for their support. In particular, he was
grateful for the help they gave him at a moment when the Turks were about to
attack him. They asked the Turks to give them a few months’ notice before
the beginning of hostilities, so that British subjects and their property might
be removed from Nejd, and, in the interval, he was able to come to terms with
the Turks. Ibn Saud now saw danger in three quarters : near, farther off,
and remote, viz., Italy, Turkey and Germany. (N.B.—Germany was not
mentioned again.) The Italians had been the last to recognise Saudi Arabia,
and their conduct in regard to Asir and the Yemen had been very suspicious,
but at the time of the Ethiopian dispute there had been a complete revolu
tion in their policy towards Saudi-Arabia. Italy had recently wished to give
Ibn Saud arms and munitions to the value of perhaps £1 million. He had
not wanted to accept, but, to avoid giving offence, he had accepted a few
aeroplanes. He had informed Sir Andrew Ryan, and had asked whether
His Majesty’s Government could give him assurances. He regretted that
they had not been able to do more than refer him to the Rome understanding
of 1927.
The Turks were ancient enemies of the Arabs, and resented the rise to
Independence and importance of people whom they regarded as savages.
It was fear of the Turks that had impelled him to initiate the^negotiations that
had ended with the treaty with Iraq. (Here Sheikh Yusuf Yasin made
a brief but very cordial reference to Iraq.)
Difficulties with Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan arose from time to time (Sheikh Yusuf
hinted that these were due to the incurable levity of character of the Amir
Abdullah) but Ibn Saud did not want trouble there. He had always been
conciliatory, and he trusted that with the help of His Majesty’s Government
such difficulties as arose would always be settled satisfactorily. As to Syria,
Ibn Saud had made a point of keeping on good terms with the French.
In regard to Palestine, Ibn Saud had no other aim than to see peace re-estab
lished between two parties, both of whom were his friends.
The statement ended with conventional but strong assurances of friend
ship.
*
(9)
(Received on 30th January 1937 with Political Secretary's letter No. 2, dated
14th, January 1937.)
Enclosure in Foreign Office covering letter No. E.-8002-7186-25, dated 5th
January 1937.
Letter from British Legation, Jedda, to the Right Hon’ble Anthony
Eden, No. 315, dated 7th December 1936.
Colonel Etherton and Lt.-Col. Micklem, about whom I had the honour
to receive your instructions conveyed in Foreign Office telegram No. 129,
dated 19th November, left yesterday for the Sudan, whence they
proposed to return to London by air. They have not secured the mining
concession which was the object of their journey. From other sources I
gather that the Saudi Arabian Mining Syndicate Ltd. succeeded in preventing
the grant of the concession to Selection Trust Ltd., though it does not
appear that the Syndicate have obtained it for themselves. Lt. Col. Mick
lem speaks of the last Saudi offer as being still open, but professes to be dis
illusioned as to the value of the concession and to hope that his Board will
not close with the offer. One of his objections is that the area concerned