Coll 30/21(2) 'Persian Gulf: Koweit - Blockade by Ibn Saud' [‎399r] (808/1010)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia).
L
July 5, 1935.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 1.
[E 4218/318/25]
Record of the Fourth Meeting with Fuad Bey Hamza at the Foreign Office on
The first subject to be discussed was the question of the eastern and south-
eastern frontiers of Saudi Arabia.
Mr RENDER said that no further progress appeared for the moment to
be possible, and that it was now for each side to consider the arguments put
forward by the other. His Majesty’s Government, for their part, would await
the statement which Euad Bey had promised at the last meeting regarding the
diras or tribal areas of the three and a half tribes claimed by Ring Abdul Aziz,
with particular reference to the southern sector of the boundary proposed by His
Majesty’s Government. Mr. Rendel said that it would be particularly useful if
Euad Bey could accompany this statement with a map which could show roughly
(in, say, gradations of shading or colour) the areas claimed as exclusively,
predominantly or only partially inhabited, or wandered over, by particular tribes.
EUAD BEY HAMZA explained that he would have difficulty in meeting
this latter request, but that he hoped shortly to have ready a list of over 150 names
of wells, water-holes, &c., showing to which tribes and sections or sub-sections of
tribes they were regarded as belonging.
Mr. RENDEL expressed the hope that the statement might be available as
soon as possible; but he explained that it would, of course, have to be referred
to the British authorities in the Gulf and at Aden, so that it might be some weeks
before His Majesty’s Government could reply to it.
Mr. RENDEL then said that he wished to speak to Fuad Bey about the
Saudi blockade of Koweit, or rather, since Fuad Bey did not like that term, about
the problem of the economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Koweit. He
began by outlining to Fuad Bey the information contained in the latest telegrams
from the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. regarding the position reached
in the local conference which had recently been taking place at Koweit between
the delegates of the sheikh and those of King Abdul Aziz. It appeared from
these telegrams that, while the King was ready to adopt the Sheikh of Koweit’s
suggestion of a customs and manifest system, he had instructed the Saudi
delegates to insist as a condition that the Sheikh of Koweit should give a
guarantee that no single smuggler from Koweit would be allowed to cross the
border. In the event of this guarantee failing on more than three occasions to
prove effective, the Saudi Government would terminate any agreement reached.
This guarantee the Koweit delegates had naturally been unable to give. They
had, however, promised to give instead an undertaking on Koweit’s honour that
Koweit would do her best to stop smuggling. At this stage the Saudi delegates
had explained that they had no authority to go beyond the King’s orders. They
had consequently closed down the negotiations and returned to Nejd.
[456 e—1] B
July 5, 1935.
THE following were present:—
Mr. Rendel.
Sir A. Ryan.
Mr. Laithwaite, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .
Mr. Ward.
Mr. Malcolm.
Fuad Bey Hamza,
Sheikh Hafiz Wahba.
I.
II.