File 22/23 III Kuwait Conference [‎96r] (191/200)

The Reply of the Governsent of Najd.
(Ibn Sa'ud^ letter No. 81 datod the nth March \2?A) m
PH 3 SESSIONS OF THE REASSEMBLED CONFERENCE.
V/e h .d thought that # w^en tho delegatee returned to the
the?8 Conference after eeelng their Principal* # there wae a
chance rf <1^1 n*'tc of their reaching a final solution of our
difficulties. But this hope presupposed good-will.
.Iillf; the Conference was actually aaseafrled, however,
the Government of 'Iraq continued to incite the criminal
tribes oo attack Najd tribes and caravans, and after robbing
and plundering them to z&l! taka refuge in ’Iraq, although t)
wiie Goverunent of Najd remained quiet ^nd patient in the
hopes an Agreement ?ilh her neighbour •itaq, notwithstanding
the tribes of Hajd began to t^lk about these misoreants of
robbers and. how to bring them to Justice (See the letters
t rom tne Sultan of Najd to the Briti ah C-overnment already
published).'
"The Najd tribes began to keep the trade routes open ae
w « their obvious duty. The ‘Iraq tribes Interfered with
them, and in some oases fighting took place, in which ’Iraq
suiiered some leases. The ‘Iraq Government seized on this
as an excuse for breaking off negotiations and recalled
their delegates from Basrah. Notwithstanding the faot that
tho British Government looked on this as an ordinary case
and saw no reason for breaking off negotiations, they would
not listen to reason and insisted in doing so/
The 'Iraq Government have encouraged their tribesmen
and also some criminals belonging to Najd tribes to attack
numerous caravans and tribes who were peacefully settled in
their grazing grounds. Incidents of this sort oven took
place while the Conference raa using held. If however Najd
nal refused to send her delegates, wnat would the Government
of 'Irau. have done? Would not they have distressed the
world with their "
Ad raftaria the HIJaa Oovamaent. They appointed Aalr