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'File 61/11 VII (D 122) Hejaz-Nejd Miscellaneous' [106r] (228/454)
The record is made up of 1 volume (223 folios). It was created in 23 Jun 1934-30 Apr 1936. It was written in English. The original is part of the 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
) "))
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (A rabia).
CONFIDENTIAL.
/
July 30, 1935.
Section 1.
f IT
[E 4666/4666/25]
Memorandum respecting the possib le Candidature of Saudi Arabia for the
League of Nations.
THE Kingdom of the Hejaz, at that time under the Hashimite King
Hussein, was included in the list of original members of the League of Nations
attached to the Covenant of the League. King Hussein failed, however, to
ratify the Treaty of Versailles and the original membership of the Hejaz in the
League accordingly failed to take effect.
2. In 1926 Ibn Saud, already Sultan of Nejd, conquered the Hejaz and
became King of "the Hejaz and of Nejd and its dependencies," to quote the
Treaty of Jedda concluded with His Majesty's Government in May 1927.
3. The question of the possible admission of the Kingdom of the Hejaz and
Nejd into the League of Nations was raised in the first instance privately by
the League Secretariat in 1929; it was decided, however, that there were many
difficulties in the way and that it would be unsuitable for His Majesty's Govern
ment to suggest to King Ibn Saud that he would be well advised to join.
4. In July 1930 a despatch from His Majesty's Minister at Jedda reporting
that the Deputy Saudi-Arabian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fuad Bey Hamza,
had shown some interest in the possible entry of the Hejaz and Nejd into the
League of Nations, furnished an occasion for the matter to be exhaustively
reviewed in the Foreign Office. A subsidiary point was first disposed of by
the legal advisers showing conclusively that there could be no question of the
ioint kingdom entering the League on the strength of the Hejaz having been
included in the list of original members. Apart from the difficulties inherent on
reviving a membership that had never taken effect, they were of the opinion that
the Hejaz had lost its national identity and that the joint kingdom, which was a
"real" rather than a "personal" union (a fact that was confirmed in 1932 by
the application to all King Ibn Saud's dominions of the title Saudi Arabia ),
was a new creation in world politics and would require a formal application
for new membership under article 1 (paragraph 2) of the Covenant. The mam
question of the desirability of encouraging King Ibn Saud to apply for membei-
ship was then explored. , ,
5. It was appreciated that there were certain important arguments that
could be adduced in favour of the entry of the Hejaz and Nejd into the League.
Membership might lead Ibn Saud towards co-operation with other countries m
matters of international concern such as international health control and e
development of international communications, especially by air (althougn some
doubt was felt about the advisability from a purely British point oi vie j v i n
laying stress on the international aspect of e.g. the Arabian air route an e
sanitary control of the pilgrimage to Mecca). Another argument (w ic was
particularly important in 1930-31 when the Ikhwan raids 1 5 t T ^. bou ^ er ^ o i1 ^
were of recent memory) was the good effect which the entry of King n u
territories into the League might have on their relations with Iraq, which was
expected to join in 1932; it was felt that the assumption by both eountnes ot
the obligations of League membership might facilitate the set emen o
disputes between them. . , . .. , „
1 6. On the other hand there were felt to be serious objections ^ supporting
the candidature of a country so primitively organised as the .Saudi
which would find it difficult, if not impossible, to participate m the ciYihsmg
work of the League. The chief objection was felt to be ^ttitude
in Arabia of domestic and industrial slavery and the un i ve J 00 ^ imc i er
of official toleration towards it being changed, at least to ^ ex ^ ^
faking the obligations devolving from article 13 of the , ormdition
important was the difficulty likely to be experienced m
that a State applying for membership shall have established frontiers, the front e
8097 [456 gg—1] 3
E 4920/4920/91
of 1929.
E 4310/1409/91
of 1930.
Minutes on
E 4S10/1409/91
of 1930.
Minutes on
E 584/584/25 of
1931.
About this item
- Content
The volume contains letters, telegrams, and memoranda relating to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Most of the correspondence is between the British Legation in Jeddah, the Foreign Office in London, the Political Residencies in Bushire and Aden, the Political Agencies in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Muscat, the High Commissioner in Trans-Jordan, the British Embassy in Baghdad, the Colonial Office in London, the 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. in London, the Government of India, and Ibn Sa'ud.
The volume covers a wide range of subjects, including:
- the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, including issues of the translation of the Treaty of Taif;
- the planning, development, and financing of roads;
- the differing characters of two of Ibn Sa'ud's sons, Amirs Sa'ud and Faisal;
- the appointment of new ministers in the Saudi Arabian government;
- the slave trade in the region;
- an Egyptian commercial and financial mission to the country led by Talaat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Harb;
- a general amnesty for all 'political offenders' given by Ibn Sa'ud;
- new regulations on foreign ownership of property;
- Ibn Sa'ud's effort to improve the Saudi Arabian standing army;
- the French upgrade of their Consulate in Jeddah to a Legation;
- the general financial situation in Saudi Arabia;
- the proposal to restore the Hejaz Railway, including the lead up to a conference on the matter in Haifa in October 1935;
- an attempt on Ibn Sa'ud's life in Mecca;
- Saudi-Soviet relations;
- the activities of the Saudi Arabia Mining Syndicate;
- Amir Sa'ud's visit to Europe;
- the death of 'Abdullah ibn Jiluwi, Amir of Hasa;
- the prospect of Saudi Arabia joining the League of Nations;
- new Saudi regulations on the importation, sale, and possession of firearms;
- officer training for Saudis and Yemenis in Iraq;
- the introduction of a special import tax at Jeddah to fund local schools;
- Anglo-Italian relations;
- the proposal to renew the Treaty of Jeddah of 1927;
- unrest in Hasa due to the imposition of a 'jihad tax' on those who did not take part in recent fighting on behalf of the Kingdom.
Notable in the volume is an interview with Fuad Bey Hamza, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, extracted from the newspaper Ayyam (folio 34).
At the back of the volume (folios 207-213v) are internal office notes.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (223 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged chronologically.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The sequence begins on the first folio and continues through to the inside back cover. The numbers are written in pencil, circled, and 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. There are the following irregularities: 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D; 88, and 88A; 165 and 165A. There is a second foliation system that is uncircled and inconsistent.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/570
- Title
- 'File 61/11 VII (D 122) Hejaz-Nejd Miscellaneous'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 1Ar, 1Av, 1Br, 1Bv, 1Cr, 1Cv, 1Dr, 1Dv, 2r:42v, 44v:81v, 82v, 83v:88v, 88Ar, 88Av, 89r:92v, 92Ar, 92Av, 93r:94v, 95v:142v, 143v:149v, 155v:165v, 165Ar, 165Av, 166r:217v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence