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Coll 6/67(3) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [‎264v] (535/830)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (411 folios). It was created in 7 Feb 1935-20 Dec 1935. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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FUAD BEY HAMZA explained that he had not received any recent
instructions from his Government about this question, and so was not m a
position to do more than take note of what Mr. Rendel said. He suggested, how
ever that it might be useful if he were to see the draft notes before they were
formally communicated to the Saudi Government for their concurrence.
After further discussion it was agreed that as soon as the draft notes had
been approved by His Majesty’s Government and the Government of Bahrein,
copies of them should be sent to Sheikh Hafiz Wahba for onward transmission
to Fuad Bey Hamza, wherever he might then be m the course of his leave^ At the
same time the draft notes would be sent to His Majesty s Charge d Affaires at
Jedda who would be instructed to communicate them formally to the Saudi
Government for their concurrence, as soon as Fuad Bey Hamza had expressed his
personal agreement with the terms employed in the drafts.
III.
Mr. RENDEL next referred to the debt due from the Saudi Government to
His Majesty’s Government and the Government of India. He explained that
His Majesty’s Government had no desire to embarrass the Saudi Government by
raising this matter; but their position, too, was not easy since they were liable
to criticism in Parliament and by the Public Accounts Committee of the House
of Commons if steps were not taken with a view to liquidating the debt. His
Majesty’s Government had learned with much satisfaction of the repayment by
the Saudi Government last May of their half share of the cost of the enquiry
conducted by Mr. Macdonell in 1931 into the rival claims arising out of tribal
raids between Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan and the Hejaz and Nejd, and of their payment of
10 per cent, of the capital of the larger debt for £31,437 4.9. 6<Y due on account of
arms and ammunition supplied to King Ibn Sand in 1929. His Majesty’s
Government would now be grateful to learn the intentions of the Saudi Govern
ment in regard to the repayment of the remainder of the arms debt, and he was
authorised to inform Fuad Bey that if satisfactory arrangements could be made
for the repayment of the outstanding 90 per cent, of the capital of the debt within
a reasonable period, His Majesty’s Government would be prepared to take a
sympathetic view of the question of interest on the debt.
FUAD BEY HAMZA replied that he would look into the matter with a
view to producing a statement of the intentions of his Government about the
repayment of the remainder of the debt.
IV.
The next matter to be touched upon was the future of the Treaty of Jedda,
and the connected questions of slavery and the traffic in arms.
Mr. RENDEL said that he was now authorised to inform Fuad Bey that
His Majesty’s Government would be prepared in principle to extend the validity
of the Treaty of Jedda for a further seven years by means of an exchange of notes,
on the lines already suggested by Fuad Bey, provided that a satisfactory settle
ment were reached on the question of slavery and the other outstanding points of
less importance.
SIR A. RYAN pointed out that in his draft exchange of notes Fuad Bey
had suggested prolonging the treaty for ten years.
Mr. RENDEL replied that he had mentioned seven years because that was
the period of validity of the original treaty. He thought that neither His
Majesty’s Government nor the Saudi Government were ready just yet to conclude
a new treaty, and, in the circumstances, he agreed with Fuad Bey that there
would be advantage in stabilising relations between their two countries by
prolonging the existing treaty for a definite term of years. As a new treaty would
probably be a subject for negotiation before very long, he thought seven years
might be a sufficient period. At the same time, there would, of course, be no
question of the treaty automatically expiring at the end of the seven years, as
it would continue to run on indefinitely, as at present, subject to denunciation
at six months’ notice.

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Content

This volume primarily concerns British policy regarding the south-eastern boundaries of Saudi Arabia, specifically those bordering Qatar, the Trucial Shaikhdoms, Muscat, the Hadramaut and the Aden Protectorate.

It includes interdepartmental discussion regarding the approach that the British Government should take in reaching a settlement with King Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] over the demarcation of the boundaries.

References are made to various existing and proposed lines, including the 'blue line' and the 'violet line' – boundary lines that formed part of the Anglo-Ottoman Conventions, concluded in 1913 and 1914 respectively, a 'green line' and a 'brown line', which represent more recent territorial concessions proposed by the British to Ibn Saud, and a 'red line', which is referred to as the Saudi Government's claim for its country's south-eastern boundary.

The volume features the following principal correspondents: 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. (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle); the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch); His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan); the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Samuel Hoare); the Acting Chief Commissioner, Aden (Lieutenant-Colonel Morice Challoner Lake); officials of the Colonial Office, the Foreign Office, the 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. , the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department.

The correspondence includes discussion of the following:

  • The extent of territory that the British should be prepared to include in any concession made to Ibn Saud.
  • The abandonment of the idea of a proposed 'desert zone'.
  • The future of the Treaty of Jedda of 1927.
  • Meetings held at the Foreign Office with Fuad Bey Hamza, Deputy Saudi Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Hafiz Wahba, Saudi Arabian Minister in London, during June and July 1935.
  • The eastern boundary of the Aden Protectorate.
  • The possibility of the British Government employing Bertram Thomas to carry out enquiries and investigations regarding the question of Saudi Arabia's south-eastern frontiers.
  • Wells and territories of the Al Murra [Āl Murrah] tribe.
  • Preparations for Sir Andrew Ryan's forthcoming visit to Riyadh for negotiations with Ibn Saud.
  • Abu Dhabi's claim to Khor-al-Odeid [Khawr al ‘Udayd].
  • Details of a British aerial reconnaissance of the Qatar Peninsula, which took place on 11 October 1935.

In addition to correspondence the volume includes the following: copies of the minutes of meetings of the Committee of Imperial Defence's Standing Ministerial and Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East, dated 15 April 1935 and 24 September 1935 respectively; photographs of the Qatar Peninsula, taken during the aforementioned aerial reconnaissance; a map showing the route of the aerial reconnaissance.

The volume includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence (folio 4).

Extent and format
1 volume (411 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 411; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 6/67(3) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [‎264v] (535/830), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2136, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100046787906.0x000088> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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