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Coll 6/67(1) 'Boundaries of South-Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [‎312v] (629/794)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (392 folios). It was created in 13 Jun 1934-13 Dec 1934. It was written in English and Arabic. 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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controversy with the Saudi Government and there is no reason to anticipate any
recrudescence of serious trouble, so long as Ibn Sand adheres to his present policy
and the Amir Abdullah refrains from embroiling himself in the internal affairs
of Saudi Arabia.
(2) Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Questions.
These, on the other hand, have assumed major importance and may now be
classified under the following four heads, the last of which is of capital importance
to our relations with Ibn Saud :—
(a) Koweit Blockade.—No substantial progress has been made with the
solution of this problem since February 1932. Now that the 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
frontier is out of the way, His Majesty’s'Government would like to press for a
removal of Ibn Sand’s embargo on trade between Koweit and Nejd. Their
action has been hampered by the attitude of the Sheikh of Koweit, notably in
regard to his old claims against Ibn Saud. _
(b) Bahrein Transit Dues. —This question, which is eminently one for a
rational business settlement, has been singularly complicated by the Ahmedi
incident of about October 1932 and the growth in Ibn Sand’s mind of a belief
that His Majesty’s Government are determined, in the interests of Bahrein, to
boycott direct trade with the Hasa Coast. The personal resentment shown by
the King during my recent visit to Taif gives this aspect of the general question
of transit a special importance.
oil ,—This has become an important factor in the whole situation in
North-Eastern Arabia since the grant of the Hasa Oil Commission to the Standard
Oil Company of California. The most immediate matter of common concern to
His Majesty’s Government and Ibn Saud is the proposed concession for the
Koweit neutral zone. It is firmly believed by the British authorities in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. that Ibn Saud is also taking a hand in the business of the proposed
Qatar concession.
(d) The Blue Line .—The oil question was mainly instrumental in directing
attention last year to uncertainty in regard to the frontier of Qatar and by
inference to the whole question of the eastern and south-eastern boundaries of
Saudi Arabia. After much consideration His Majesty’s Government decided to
take their stand on Anglo-Turkish Conventions of 1913 and 1914, as establishing
a legal position which must be the basis of any discussion with the Saudi Govern
ment, to whom they would be prepared to make some concessions, but only minor
concessions. Ibn Sand’s reaction has been not less violent than was to be expected.
He has begun by asserting, on legal and historical grounds, claims to territory
far beyond the blue line established by the Anglo-Turkish Conventions.
(3) Arabian Air Route.
Further efforts since February 1932 to obtain certain facilities from Ibn
Saud in respect of the Hasa Coast ended last year in a deadlock. Ibn Saud was
prepared in principle to grant the facilities, but on exorbitant money terms. The
amount which His Majesty’s Government was prepared to pay was not such as
could possibly attract a ruler so jealous of his sovereign rights. We have been
living from hand to mouth, reducing what are technically violations of his
territory by forced landings and flying over to a minimum and apologising for
them before the Saudi Government have time to protest. This has worked well
enough in the conditions of the last year, as it has not suited Ibn Saud to be
sticky with His Majesty’s Government over small matters. He cannot, however,
count indefinitely on his continued complaisance.
(4) and (5) Pecuniary Claims in regard to Shell Benzine, &c.
The Shell benzine affair was settled by a commercial agreement in 1932 and
this has panned out satisfactorily for Shell. The E.T.C. cable account with the
Saudi Government continues to fall into arrear, but the debit balances have not
of late been such as to alarm the company. Other private claims are not so
important as to affect relations between the Governments. The only claims which
still call for notice in this connexion are what has now become a joint claim of
His Majesty’s Government and the Government of India for the cost of arms
supplied to Ibn Saud by the latter in 1929 and the claim of His Majesty’s Govern-

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Content

This volume primarily concerns British policy regarding the south-eastern boundaries of Saudi Arabia.

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.

Much of the correspondence discusses the legal and international position of what is referred to as the 'blue line' (the frontier which marked the Ottoman Government's renunciation of its claims to Bahrain and Qatar, as laid down in the non-ratified Anglo-Ottoman Convention of 1913 and redefined and adopted in the Anglo-Ottoman convention of the following year), a line which is not accepted by Ibn Saud as being binding upon his government.

The volume features the following principal correspondents: His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan); 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. , Kuwait (Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Richard Patrick Dickson); 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); the Chief Commissioner, Aden (Bernard Rawdon Reilly, referred to in the correspondence as Resident); the Secretary of State for the Colonies (Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister); the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir John Simon); the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs; officials of 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 Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, the War Office, and the Air Ministry.

Matters discussed in the correspondence include the following:

  • Whether the British should press Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] for a general settlement of all outstanding major questions.
  • The extent of territory that the British should be prepared to include in any concession made to Ibn Saud.
  • The British response to what are referred to as Ibn Saud's 'ancestral claims' to territories east of the blue line.
  • Sir Andrew Ryan's meetings with Ibn Saud in Taif, in July 1934.
  • Meetings held at the Foreign Office between Sir Andrew Ryan, George Rendel (Head of the Foreign Office's Eastern Department), Fuad Bey Hamza (Deputy Minister for Saudi Foreign Affairs), and Hafiz Wahba (Saudi Arabian Minister in London), in September 1934.
  • The boundaries of a proposed 'desert zone', suggested by Rendel, where Ibn Saud would hold personal rather than territorial rights.
  • Saudi-Qatari relations.
  • Whether tribal boundaries should be considered as a possible solution to the boundary question.

Also included are the following:

The Arabic material consists of one item of correspondence (an English translation is included).

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 (392 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 inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 394; 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. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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Coll 6/67(1) 'Boundaries of South-Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [‎312v] (629/794), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2134, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100056574351.0x00001e> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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