Coll 6/84 'Yemen: Attitude of Yemeni Govt. towards the Italo-Ethiopian dispute. Policy of H.M.G. in event of Italian occupation of Yemeni territory.' [‎124r] (247/699)

1
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
IN my despatch No. 40, dated the 23rd March, I reported that during
Mr. Rendel’s short stay in Jedda. from the 17th to 22nd March, we had several
interviews with His Majesty King Abdul Aziz. I now have the honour to enclose
a summary of these conversations. The conversations themselves and unavoidable
hospitality occupied most of the time during the last two and half days, so
that there was not time to make a complete record before Mr. Renders departure.
2. It might have been more satisfactory to divide the record up into portions
according to the various subjects discussed, and to send each portion
separately with a covering despatch, but there is not time to do this before
the bag goes, and in any case the subjects overlap a good deal. Where comment
seems to be called for I hope to send it by the following bag. and the question
of Palestine, at any rate, requires a telegram.
3. In two or three places I have inserted material which may appear to be
remote from present-day politics, e.g., references to Ibn Saud’s relations with
the Sherif (later King) Hussein and to his dealings with British officials in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. before the war. I think these references are relevant as showing
that the mind of the King is always roving back to the times when, as he thinks,
he deserved well of Plis Majesty’s Government and reflecting that he has got
precious little out of it. I am not saying, at the moment, that any bitterness
that Ibn Saud feels on this score is justified, but only that it exists.
4. I have been more than six months at this post, but it was not until
now that I could come into contact with the man who directs foreign affairs,
as he directs everything else in Saudi Arabia, The peculiar position in which
foreign representatives are placed in this country is familiar to you, but it may
be of use to illustrate it from my short experience. I arrived at Jedda in the
middle of last September, and presented credentials to and dined with the
Amir Feisal. a purely nominal Minister for Foreign Affairs, who at once retreated
to the hills of Taif. The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fuad Bey, was
on leave, and did not return until towards the end of November, and for two
months I saw no one connected with foreign affairs except the King’s secretary.
Yusuf Yasin, who came to Jedda at the end of September to arrange for the
exchange of notes about the Treaty of Jedda and connected matters, communicated
a long statement from the King about foreign affairs, and retired to the other
side of Arabia. Between the return of Fuad Bey towards the end of November
and his hurried and surprising departure on leave a few days before Mr. Rendel
was due to arrive, I have had occasional interviews—sometimes at tiresomely
long intervals—with Fuad Bey. whom there is reason to think that the King
does not entirely trust, and who I think has misled me on one or two occasions.
5. I may mention that during the course of the conversations reported in
the enclosure the King twice said that he hoped I would pay him a visit at
Riyadh. For many reasons such a visit is not to be undertaken lightly, but
it may be useful to have the invitation in hand if matters of importance have
to be dealt with and no satisfaction can be obtained here during the long interval
between two successive annual visits of the King to Jedda. the only place in
Saudi Arabia where a foreign representative is allowed to reside.
6. I am sending copies of this despatch and enclosure to Cairo. Jerusalem.
Bagdad, Bushire and Aden.
EASTERN (Arabia).
April 12, 1937.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 5.
[E 1961/92/25j
Copy No. 0C9
Sir R. Bullard to Mr. Eden.—{Received Afril 12.)
(No. 41.)
Sir,
Jedda, March 23, 1937.
I have, &c.
R. W. BULLARD.
[981 m—5]
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