Coll 30/21(2) 'Persian Gulf: Koweit - Blockade by Ibn Saud' [‎400r] (810/1010)

Mr. RENDEL said that he wished first of all to dispose of a misunder
standing to which Fuad Bey had given expression in conversation with bir JL.
Oliphant on the previous day. It appeared that Fuad Bey had gained the
impression during the conversations which were held in London in September
1934, that His Majesty’s Government had declared their willingness to renew
the Treaty of Jedda in the manner now proposed by the Saudi Government,
but that Fuad Bey had now found, to his surprise and regret, that they had since
changed their minds. Mir. Rendel said he was satisfied, and had confirmed fiom
the records of the 1934 conversations, that Fuad Bey was under a misapprehension
on this point. His Majesty’s Government had never taken any decision about the
future of the Treaty of Jedda,and had not gone back on anything that had been
said to Fuad Bey' on that subject last year. He cited once more the three
possibilities which had been discussed in i934 and which had again been quoted
by Sir A. Ryan at the meeting held on the 2nd July. Of these three, the
negotiation of an entirely new treaty covering all points at issue and drawn up
in accordance with present conditions naturally seemed the most workmanlike.
This could, however, only take place when the major questions now outstanding
had been settled, and as it now looked as though a settlement of these questions
might take longer than had at first been anticipated, the conclusion of such a new
comprehensive °treaty might in consequence be delayed for a considerable time.
This being so he could see no objection in principle to the prolongation of the
present treaty in the way suggested by Fuad Bey Hamza, if agreement could be
reached in regard to any modifications of the provisions of the Jedda settlement
which it was desired at the same time to introduce. Mr. Rendel reminded Fuad
Bey that it had been agreed at a previous meeting that the principal topic to be
discussed before the Jedda settlement could be prolonged and amended in this
way was the question of slavery in relation to His Majesty’s right of manumission.
Fie drew attention once more to the strength of public and parliamentary opinion
in this country on the subject of slavery, and of the important influence of the
anti-slavery societies. It was therefore essential that His Majesty’s Government
should be able to justify any decision which they might reach to abandon their
right of manumission, on the lines contemplated in the original exchange of
notes, by being able to show that a new situation now existed in Arabia which
rendered the maintenance of that right inappropriate or unnecesary. He added,
speaking personally and unofficially, that the draft anti-slavery regulations which
Fuad Bey had communicated privately to Sir A. Ryan seemed to him to provide
a hopeful basis for further discussion. It had not yet, however, been possible to
submit the details of these proposals to the Secretary of State and it would
be necessary, before any undertaking could be given to the Saudi Government,
to submit to Sir Samuel Hoare a detailed statement showing the precise scope
of the proposed Saudi regulations. It was only thus that Ministers would be
able to judge whether the new arrangements would be sufficient to enable them
to make an adequate defence in Parliament for the abandonment by His Majesty’s
Government of this important and well-known right. Mr. Rendel suggested
that it would be of great assistance from the point of view of further progress
if Fuad Bey Hamza could give a firm undertaking that King Abdul Aziz would,
when the time came, be ready to promulgate regulations on the lines of those
now under discussion.
SIR ANDREW RYAN then explained the progress which he had been able
to make on the previous day in a conversation with Fuad Bey Hamza (see
separate record in E 4163/325/25) and gave it as his opinion, subject to one or
two difficult points, that a promising position had now been reached as regards
slavery. There were, however, other points which needed consideration in
connexion with the future of the Treaty of Jedda, some of which had already
been raised by the Saudi Government. He mentioned the question of the arms
traffic as an example. He pointed out, however, that, if only in view of the close
questioning which His Majesty’s Government must be prepared io face, the
problem of slavery was the most serious.
FUAD BEY HAMZA again pressed for an assurance that His Majesty’s
Government would in principle be prepared to prolong tne 1 reaty of Jeada.
Mr. RENDEL replied that, while he was not yet authorised to give a formal
assurance to this effect, he did not think that His Majesty s Government would
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