Coll 6/72 'Saudi Arabia: Relations with the Yemen. Delimitation of the Saudi-Yemeni Frontier.' [‎3r] (5/50)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia).
March 21, 1936.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 1.
[E 1529/1529/25]
(No. 52.)
Sir,
Si?' A. Ryrm to Mr. Eden.—(Received March 21.)
Jedda, February 26, 1936.
WITH reference to Mr. Calvert’s despatch No. 337 o f the 26th November,
I have the honour to state that the Mecca newspaper Umm-al-Q.ura announced on
the 21 st February the completion of the work of the commissions appointed for
the delimitation of the Saudi-Yemen frontier in pursuance of article 4 of the
Treaty of Taif of May 1934. The announcement is in the form of a news item,
but is doubtless inspired by the Government. As it refers both to the Tihama and
the mountains, it presumably relates to both pairs of commissions, each of which
was described as a joint Saudi-Yemeni commission in the enclosure in
Mr. Calvert’s despatch.
2 . After Mr. Calvert’s despatch was written, the Legation had heard
nothing about the delimitation in the Tihama. As regards the inland area, you
will have seen by paragraph 393 of the Jedda report for December that two Saiidi
commissioners, Sheikh Muhammad Suleyman, who is related to the Minister of
Finance, and an officer named Talaat Wafa, were believed to have been in Najran
on the 27th December. My Indian vice-consul, who is a friend of Talaat Wafa,
subsequently received a letter from him dated from Dhahran on the
17th December. It would therefore appear that the commissioners inland worked
both in the mountains and in Najran, but no separate reference is made to the
latter area in the recent announcement in the Umrn-al-Qura.
3. The recent announcement states that the delimitation was effected in the
most friendly manner, and that no disputes arose. It adds that the members of
the commissions have now returned and submitted the result of their labours to
their Governments, who have approved of the delimitation agreed upon by the
commissions.
4. I hope for an opportunity of obtaining confirmation and any further
information from Fuad Bey Hamza, but, as this may not arise until after the
approaching Moslem festival, which should end on the 7th March, I prefer not to
delay this report.
5. I am sending copies of this despatch to the Government of India
and Aden.
I have, &c.
ANDREW RYAN.