Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎376r] (752/802)

[5886] ' c 2
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Money Order Agreements with India and Palestine.
43. Both these questions have continued to hang fire, although there is no
point in dispute regarding either agreement. It is merely a matter of getting the
texts into final shape and properly signed and exchanged. The Legation has
received no answer to its last communication regarding the agreement with India
(March-April report, paragraph 38). At the end of June it addressed a note to
^she Minister for Foreign Affairs regarding the agreement with Palestine in order
to correct a verbal error in the text and to expedite the conclusion of the matter.
France.
44. Progress appears to have been made with the treaty negotiations
(March-April report, paragraph 39), but neither side disclose much about them.
Italy.
45. The Italian consul seemed hopeful at the end of June of completing the
proposed treatv (March-April report, paragraph 40) in the near future. He told
Sir A. Ryan about that time that he was delaying his departure on leave for the
purpose and was awaiting a final text from Rome. This does not necessarily
mean a final text to which the Hejazi Government have already agreed.
The Netherlands.
46. The Netherlands Charge d’Affaires, M. Van der Moulen, remained
absent during the whole of May and June in connexion with his tour in Yemen
and the Hadhramaut. It is stated in the “ Oriente Moderne for May that he
concluded a treaty of friendship with the Imam about the middle of April. At
the end of June he was understood to have reached Aden on his way back to
Jedda to join his wife, who, ignorant of the scope of his travels, arrived several
weeks ago to give him a surprise. The surprise was Mme. van der Moulen’s, who
remained stranded in grass-widowhood in Jedda up to end of June.
47. M. Adriannse (March-April report, paragraph 42), went on leaye on
the 10th June. For some days before his departure he was bombarded with
appeals to use his influence with the Netherlands Government to make the Dutch
Bank nice and kind to the Hejazi Government (see paragraph 4).
Egypt.
48. The new Egyptian consul, Hafiz Amer Bey, appears to be a person of
some character and enterprise, but rather a farceur. At various times during
May and June he dropped hints to Sir A. Ryan that he was Engaged in negotia
tions, and he has visited Mecca more than once. There is, however, no visible sign
of any material progress in the establishment of normal relations between Egypt
and the Hejaz. Hafiz Bey displays a critical and contemptuous attitude in his
language regarding Ibn Sand. He goes out of his way to be friendly in his
relations with the British Legation and overdoes the compliments.
49. It is worth noting that in their remonstrance to the King on accession
celebrations (paragraph 21) the ulema of Nejd referred with approval to Ibn
Baud’s action in preventing the Sacred Caravan from coming to Mecca.
Persia.
50. The Persian Charge d’Affaires (March-April report, paragraph 45)
went on leave again on the 20th June. He left his vice-consul in charge of the
Legation and his sister in charge of the vice-consul, but they propose to go to
Taif for a change of air. It is interesting that any foreign representative should
be allowed to reside at Taif, but apparently it is well understood that M. and
Mme. Behjet are going thither in an entirely private way.
Soviet Russia.
51. The Russian Minister has been little in evidence. He went to Mecca
towards the end of June. According to one report he is interesting himself in
working up the sale of petroleum products. His vice-consul, M. Touymetov, who