Coll 6/19 'Arabia: (Saudi Arabia) Hejaz-Nejd Annual Report.' [‎249v] (499/540)

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time—and, indeed, the British Legation received confidential injormation in this
sense from both sides—that the breakdown was due to Ibn Sand’s refusal to
agree to an article similar to article 7 of the Treaty of Jedda, which binds the
King “ to co-operate by all means at his disposal with His Britannic Majesty
in the suppression of the slave trade." Subsequent correspondence between the
French Embassy in London and the Foreign Office showed that the Hejaz Govern- W
ment had also been trying to obtain an undertaking from the French regarding
Haramein Wakfs in countries under French authority, and had apparently mis
represented the very guarded attitude taken up on this subject by the British
Government in 1927. At the end of 1930 the negotiations had not been resumed,
but they were still in being and there was a prospect of resumption early in the
New Year. In a conversation with Sir A. Ryan early in January the French
Charge d’Affaires rather brushed the question of slavery aside and said that the
only important question at issue was that of the Hejazi Nationality Law as
affecting the nationality of Algerians settled in Medina on the establishment of
whose French status the French Government were keen.
77. The French element in the pilgrimage consists of pilgrims from North
Africa, other African dependencies, and Syria. Practically all of them are
sea-borne.
77a. Relations between Syria and Nejd were the subject of a convention
signed at Mecca on the 22nd March, 1926, which was to remain in force for ten
years from ratification. It was stated in the press in May 1930 that a revised
convention had been signed, but there would appear to have been some mis
understanding as the text given in the Italian c ‘Oriente Moderno ” for that
month was not substantially different from that of 1926. A member of the
French consulate in Jedda informed a British colleague unofficially that there
was no new convention, but that the old one was renewed every three months. The
position at the end of 1930 appeared to be that the 1926 convention remained in
force by way of modus vivendi, but that a new convention was in contemplation.
77b. French participation in such efforts as can be made independently of
Ibn Saud to repress the slave trade does not seem to be very effective. Like
Great Britain and Italy France maintains sloops in the Red Sea, but the
authorities in French Somaliland are accused of indifference and sometimes even
of negligence amounting to connivance at the traffic. This subject will be dealt
with more fully in the section on slavery.
(3) Italy.
78. Ibn Sand showed no signs during 1930 of any revival of the extreme
apprehension which he felt in 1927 and 1928 regarding Italian activity in the
Red Sea. At that time he was alarmed lest the Italian Government should
support the Imam in the event of a conflict between himself and the Yemen, and
at least one of his agents waved the scarecrow of an Italian attempt to supplant
Great Britain in her predominant position in Arabia. On the other hand the
Italian Government were filled with suspicion of the Asir policy of Ibn Saud.
In and out of this situation ran the question of the recognition of Ibn Saud by
Italy, which went through many vicissitudes in the years" preceding 1930. Early
in that year a treaty]^ which would! have conferred the recognition, was in
contemplation, but Italian opinion was divided as to whether it should merely
be of a general nature or be accompanied by a commercial agreement. The former
view would appear to have prevailed and negotiations were initiated through
the Italian consul, who, despite the non-recognition of Ibn Saud, is maintained
in Jedda. The consul declared his intention of staying in Jedda to see the thiim
through, but he was too optimistic. The negotiations broke down over the
question of a slavery article similar to article 7 of the British Treaty of Jedda,
and the consul went on leave on the 26th September. He returned in December'
but the negotiations were still in abeyance at the end of the year. There was no
light in Jedda on the Italian reaction to the practical annexation of Asir b
Ibn Saud. London heard of the echo of anxious questionings in Rome but it
was difficult up to the end of December to take the measure of the situation
resulting from the coup; all the more difficult as it is stated in some quarters that
Italy has lost much of her interest in the Yemen.