Coll 6/4(2) 'Asir: Relations between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen.'

Content

This volume mostly contains copies of Foreign Office correspondence (forwarded by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the Under-Secretary of State for India) relating to the strained relations between Ibn Sa'ud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] and the Imam of Yemen [Yaḥyá Muḥammad Ḥamīd al-Dīn] and their respective claims to Najran. The volume concludes with reports on the outbreak of war between the two states and the war's early stages.

The correspondence discusses the following:

• An offer, made to Ibn Sa'ud by King Faisal [Fayṣal bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī] of Iraq, to act as a mediator between Ibn Sa'ud and the Imam of Yemen.
• The Italian Government's refusal to recognise Ibn Sa'ud's annexation of Asir.
• An alleged oral agreement regarding the frontiers between Saudi Arabia (then the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd) and Yemen, which is believed to have been concluded between Ibn Sa'ud and the Imam of Yemen in 1927.
• Reports of the occupation of Badr, Najran, by Yemeni troops.
• Reports of Saudi troops having crossed the Asir-Yemeni frontier.
• Anglo-Italian correspondence regarding the status of Asir.
• Reports of Ibn Sa'ud having issued an ultimatum to the Imam of Yemen.
• Treaty negotiations between Britain and Yemen.
• Reports of Saudi-Yemeni negotiations.
• Italian requests for 'projected discussions' with the British in Rome, regarding matters in Arabia.
• Details of the outbreak of war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

The volume features the following principal correspondents: the Foreign Office; His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires, Jedda (Albert Spencer Calvert); the British Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan); His Majesty's Ambassador to Italy (Ronald William Graham, succeeded by James Eric Drummond); the Secretary of State for the Colonies [Philip Cunliffe-Lister]; the Minister for Foreign Affairs for Saudi Arabia [Fayṣal bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd]; King Faisal of Iraq [Fayṣal bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī]; Ibn Sa'ud; the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Also included are extracts from Aden and Kuwait Political Intelligence summaries, and copies of letters from the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Kuwait (Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Richard Patrick Dickson) to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. [Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle], regarding public opinion in Kuwait on the Saudi-Yemeni dispute.

The volume includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format

1 volume (394 folios)

It is grouped into

Sketch of the Saudi-Yemeni Frontier

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/12/2065, f 6

'SAUDI-YEMEN Frontier'

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/12/2065, f 16

Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last flyleaf with 394; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is present between ff 327-392 and is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers.

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/L/PS/12/2065

Former external reference(s)

Coll 6/4/2

History of this record

Date(s)

9 Aug 1933-19 Apr 1934 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Foreign relationsFrontiersSaudi-Yemeni War (1934)

Places

NajranʻAsīr

People & organisations

HM Chargé d'Affaires to JeddahHM Ambassador to Saudi ArabiaSecretary of State for Foreign AffairsForeign OfficeHM Ambassador to ItalyImam of YemenSaudi Arabia, Minister for Foreign AffairsKing of Saudi ArabiaKing of IraqSecretary of State for the Colonies, United Kingdom

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Coll 6/4(2) 'Asir: Relations between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen.', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2065, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x00025b> [accessed 9 October 2024]

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