'File 61/14 XV (D 62) Relations between Nejd and Iraq (Akhwan Rebellion)' [‎282ar] (573/595)

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the month allowed to him, as he said that he made the pilgrimage himself every year
and had many preoccupations during that month. He contended, however, that the
failure to form a tribunal to investigate claims in the past was not due to him and
that he had, on two occasions, sent Hafiz Wabha to Koweit as his representative, and
that the latter had stayed there for six months on one occasion and for two or three
months on another, and that the Iraq Government had failed to send representatives.
I did not know whether this statement was correct and told him that I knew nothing
about the matter. As regards Koweit, the current practice for the settlement of
claims is for the ruler of Koweit to address Ibn Sand direct and for claims to be
adjusted by direct correspondence. This procedure has proved quite ineffectual in
the past, and F doubt whether it is likely to prove much more effective in the future,
but Ibn baud stated that he was quite willing to negotiate an agreement with Koweit
on the lines of the Bahra Agreement should the sheikh desire it. Finally, he agreed
to pay £10,000 in anticipation of a final settlement of account.
^ )e Se€n fi rs tly, the leaders have gone back of their own free will;
secondly, we have obtained a promise from Tbn Saud that he will treat them and the
tntesmen with humanity; thirdly, he has given a categorical promise to prevent any
raids by Nejd tribes into Koweit or Iraq in the future and, should any raids occur
despite his efforts, the machinery lor their settlement has been considerably
tightened up, and if the Iraq Government choose to avail themselves of it no undue
delay should occur in obtaining compensation. Finally, despite the fact that
Ibn Saud contends that his claims against Iraq amount approximately to the same
ngure as the Iraq claims against Nejd, a substantial sum has been obtained from
him on account.
12. As regards the allocation as between Koweit and Iraq of the £10,000 I
am confronted by a similar difficulty to that expressed by his Excellency the High
Commissioner for Iraq in his telegram No. 81 to you of the 31st January, inasmuch f *-£■ I
as I do not know the amount of the Iraq claims, or the proportion they bear to the '
Koweit claims. I would, however, point out that Ibn Saud claims to have heavv
counter-claims against Iraq, whereas he has not got any counter-claims against
Koweit. In any case, the sum of £10,000 is only a payment on account and a final
settlement is yet to come. I would suggest, therefore, that, subject to any views his
Excellency the High Commissioner may express, £3,000 should be allotted to Koweit J
and i/7,000 to Iraq, whose claims are presumably larger. 1/
. As regards the proposal for the conclusion with Koweit of an agreement
similar to the Bahra Agreement, I consider it most desirable that some such
agreement should be negotiated, not merely with a view to providing machinery for
the rapid settlement oi claims, but with the object of emphasising the independent
status ot the ruler of Koweit. I am addressing a separate despatch to the Govern
ment oi India on this subject, and will here merely say that in my opinion it should
be a cardinal point of our policy m the Gulf to uphold, maintain and emphasise in
every possible way the independence of this small principality, surrounded as it is
by two powerful neighbours, and one of the means to this end would be the
negotiation of a formal treaty between Koweit and Nejd. I have therefore
instructed 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. to discuss»the matter with the sheikh and am examining
annlT!w 10n '"I 8 ! 'J. f oun d that the provisions of the Bahra Agreement are
u ui t I mutandls t0 Koweit with no material modifications then
probably the simplest course would be for the Sheikh of Koweit to request His
to negotiate such a treaty on his behalf, and presumably this
eonld be done tnrongh Has Majesty's Minister at Jedda. Should any material
modification be found necessary, then, doubtless, it will be possible in the near
tuture to arrange a meeting between the sheikh and fbn Sand and, possibly if His
Majesty s GoyernmeiU saw no objection, 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. or I could also attend
to discuss the matter.
U. In the course of a private discussion with Ibn Saud, I mentioned the
matter of Koweit customs, but the latter was entirely uncompromising; at the same
ime, he was quite frank and said he was in dire straits for money (which I believe
Sheiiw e K 0r le " rect )' f ld t that he must get it from somewhere, and that the
hheikh of Koweit had a comfortable income without having to work for it while he
tbn -and, led laborious days and was constantly beset by financial worries This'
™tTT' r s » nd,culous argument, but time did not permit of my pressing this
matter further then, nor was the moment altogether propitious. I do not Hiink
however, that there is much use in continuing a discussion on paper with Ibn Sand
on this subject. There are many wheels within wheels. For one thino- Ibn Saud'a
chief financiers are the wealthy firm of Qusaibis at Bahrein. They farm the customs