'Najd-Transjordan Boundary' [‎25r] (54/358)

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Government in personal touch with Ibn Saud, and the absence
of such a representative has given rise, in the past, to
various misunderstandings and disputes, very largely attri-
-butable to the lact that His Majesty *3 Government are
frequently unaware of Ibn Saud’s real wished or intentions
since he is notably averse from committing himself in writing
Kis Majesty’s Government feel that many of the disputes whicJ
have arisen in the past might have been avoided by x prompt
and frank discussion of the questions at issue had this been
possible.
considered. It has been suggested that the time has now
come to station a permanent representative at Ibn Baud’s
grounds of the extreme discomfort inseparable from prolonged
residence at Riyadh and the dangerously isolated position
suggested that a representative of Ibn Saud should be
accepted in London or accredited to King Faisal or the
British High Commissioner at Baghdad; but as Ibn Saud is
known to be unwilling to place £51 reliance upon the judg
ement or discretion of his subordinates, such an arrangement
would be unlikely to achieve the desired result. Another
suggestion which has been advanced is that arrangements
should be made for periodical visits to be paid by a British
Officer to Ibn Saud. In the existing circumstances, this
last suggestion appears the most likely to commend itself
to His M a jesty ! s Government, but as circumstances may alter
in the near future (e.g. Ibn Saud may, as a result of his
conquests in the Hejaz move his capital to some more readily
accessible spot) His Majesty’s Government would prefer to
reserve their decision until conditions in Arabia become
more stable. You should, however, encourage Ibn Saud to
discuss this question frankly with you, and, without
Various solutions of the difficulty have been
capital.
This suggestion is open to objection on the
which such an Officer v/ould occupy. Again it has been
definitely