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Coll 6/4(1) 'Asir: Assumption by Ibn Saud of control of internal administration of Asir.' [‎77r] (160/1104)

The record is made up of 1 volume (548 folios). It was created in 17 Nov 1930-12 Oct 1933. 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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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia).
CONFIDENTIAL.
T> 7 ,
^ Jjaly %7, 1933.
/
Section 1 .
♦ -
[E 4072/759/25] No. 1.
Sir John Simon to Mr. Calvert (Jedda).
(No. 196. Confidential.)
Si r? Foreign Office, July 27, 1933.
’ THE Minister of Saudi Arabia, at an interview at this Department on the
21st July, made representations regarding a possible outbreak of hostilities
between King Ibn Sand and the Imam of the Yemen, on the same lines as those
made to you by the Saudi Arabian Minister of Finance and reported in your
telegram No. 140 of the 20th July.
2. Sheikh Hafiz Wahba explained that King Ibn Saud had come to the
conclusion that a conflict between himself and the Imam was inevitable. The
Imam had opened the negotiations with the Saudi delegation recently sent to
Sanaa by demanding the whole of Asir, not for the Idrisi, but for himself. King
Ibn Saud was also convinced that the Imam and Italian sources were supplying
the Idrisi with arms and munitions preparatory to an attack on Asir, which
would be supported by Yemeni troops. The Imam s plan in that event, according
to Sheikh Hafiz Wahba, would be to take over Asir from the Idrisi, in the event
of the Idrisi’s attempt being successful. An attack by the Idrisi on Asir would
thus involve hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen, and in that case
King Ibn Saud was determined that it should be in a fight to a finish.
& 3. In these circumstances, Sheikh Hafiz Wahba had been instructed b\
King Ibn Saud to ascertain what would be the attitude of His Majesty s Govern
ment He realised that there could be no question of FIis Majesty s Government
involving themselves in hostilities with the Imam; but King Ibn Saud was anxious
to know how far he could count on the moral support of His Majesty s Govern
ment and whether it would be possible for them to give him assistance by mean^,
for example, of a loan or of the supply of arms on favourable return
Kina' Ibn Saud would be prepared to treat all British interests, both in Saudi
Arabia and in the Yemen, if he should conquer it with ^ he f f
Though he did not say so in so many words, Sheikh Hafiz Mahba appeared
desirous of implying that King Ibn “Saud might, in addition to giving His
Majesty’s Government satisfaction over British interests generally, be willing
offer special^com*^ Wah |, a als0 en q U i re d whether anything could be done to
nrevent the Imam and the Idrisi securing arms from Italian sources and to
discourage the Italian Government from giving them support in oilier directions,
s fhe M nister was informed that the whole situation which he envisaged
appeared still quite hypothetical. . The ^^Tlme'd XYE united
ill hi^ ronntrv was known to be impoverished; it seemed pnma facie umine t
!i!’f n d ^mhark nt this moment on so hazardous an adventure as a war
Important that King Ibn Saud should exercise great patience and should do all
possiMe to hostilities^ the Italian Government and Italian
6. bo tai as it i n entitled to sell arms and munitions to the
private manufacturers were ie to ai ; f e s
Imam. It was indeed well considerable influence
SeTtfSS InfwLtfer their .ntervention, ^ intervene.^ould
to^x^g^mte^ the'important ^'rumours of° Italian assistance to the Imam or
to the Idrisi.
[851 dd—1]

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Content

This volume mostly contains copies of Foreign Office correspondence (forwarded by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the Under-Secretary of State for India) relating to the assumption by Ibn Sa'ud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] of control of the internal administration of Asir in November 1930, and its impact on his relations with the Imam of Yemen [Yaḥyá Muḥammad Ḥamīd al-Dīn].

Some of the Foreign Office correspondence refers to the Treaty of Mecca (1926), between Ibn Sa'ud and the Idrisi Ruler of Asir, As Sayyid Al-Hasan-al-Idrisi [Sayyid Āl Ḥasan al-Idrīsī], in which the latter handed over control of his foreign relations, whilst retaining control of his territory's internal affairs. The correspondence discusses the impact that the recent annexation of Asir is likely to have on 1) the present status of Asir, and 2) the Treaty of 1917 between Britain and the Idrisi.

Also discussed are the following:

The volume also includes copies of translated correspondence between Ibn Sa'ud and the Imam of Yemen dating from 1930 to 1931, and a copy of a translation of a treaty of friendship between the Hejaz-Nejd and Yemen, signed on 15 December 1931.

The volume's principal correspondents are the following:

  • His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires, Jedda (Cecil Gervase Hope Gill, succeeded by Albert Spencer Calvert);
  • British Minister at Jedda (Andrew Ryan);
  • Foreign Office;
  • Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir John Simon);
  • Secretary of State for the Colonies;
  • Minister for Foreign Affairs for the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia) [Fayṣal bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd];
  • His Majesty's Ambassador to Italy (Ronald William Graham);
  • Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
  • Ibn Sa'ud;
  • Imam of Yemen.

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.

Extent and format
1 volume (548 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 commences at the first flyleaf with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 549; 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 present between ff 226-546 and is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out. The foliation sequence does not include the front cover.

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English in Latin script
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Coll 6/4(1) 'Asir: Assumption by Ibn Saud of control of internal administration of Asir.' [‎77r] (160/1104), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2064, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100056677914.0x0000a1> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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