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Coll 6/4(2) 'Asir: Relations between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen.' [‎121v] (249/796)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (394 folios). It was created in 9 Aug 1933-19 Apr 1934. 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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the Rome conversations of 1927, and represents one of the aspects of Anglo-
Italian collaboration after the war, and one which is both interesting and fruitful,
seeing that it has certainly contributed to the maintenance of peace between
the States of the Arabian Peninsula.
It is hardly necessary that I should draw your attention to the contents of
the attached notes, and that I should request you to be so good as to draw the
attention of your Government to them.
I am also happy to inform you that I do so at the instance of his Excellenc,
the head of the Government, with the request that you should be so good as to
interest the Prime Minister, Mr. MacDonald, in the question.
At this moment, in which our two Governments are bound in the interests
of peace to continue their common work for the best solution of the problems
and questions which concern Europe, and one may say the whole world, the
Italian Government desires to express the hope that such collaboration and
understanding may also continue in regard to the problems of the Arabian
Peninsula, a result which could, not fail to have the most favourable influence
on the pacification of this district, and, in general, a favourable repercussion
on the whole work of Anglo-Italian collaboration.
Accept, &c.
QTrvrrnrT
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Note Verbale from Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
(Translation.)
THE Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs has the honour to acknowledge the
receipt of the notes verbales of the British Embassy Nos. 35t) and 365 of the 20th
and 26th October last, and of No. 372 of the 7th November, as well as the receipt
of the aide-memoire of the 30th October and the 17th November last, and with
reference to their contents and (with reference) at the same time to the Ministry’s
preceding notes verbales on the question and, in particular, to No. 228396/118 of
the 21st September last, have the honour to make the following communication
2. According to the British Embassy's note verbale No. 350 of the
20th October last, the British Government considers that its own position in regard
to the sovereignty over Asir is determined by the fact that in 1931 it entered into
relations with the Hejaz Government regarding communications between certain
localities under British administration and the port of Jizan. In this regard
note No. 350 of the British Embassy refers to a preceding note verbale No. 296
of the 24th July, 1931. The same British note No. 350 adds that such action on
the part of the British Government constituted an informal admission of the
rights of Ibn Saud over this province, though, in order to meet the point of view
of the Italian Government, the British Government deferred any direct and
formal manifestation of its recognition of the sovereignty of the Saudi King over
Asir. It further asserts that the British Government holds, so far as it is
concerned, that this sovereignty is valid de facto and de jure.
Since reference was made to the preceding exchange of notes in 1931, the
Italian Government considers it opportune to resume as follows the contents of
these notes :—
In its aide-memoire of the 30th May, 1931, the British Embassy informed the
Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs that the London Government had received a
note from the Hejaz Government in which the latter requested British
acquiescence in what, according to the point of view of the latter, should be
considered as the de facto and de jure status of Asir, and that in these circum
stances the British Government had the intention of recognising the absorption
of Asir on the part of the Hejaz, but that, before doing so, it desired to receive
the observations of the Italian Government.
The Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ reply was a detailed note verbale
of the 25th June, 1931, in which it referred to the discussion of the Asir question
which took place during the Rome conversations of 1927, and concluded by

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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 strained relations between Ibn Sa'ud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] and the Imam of Yemen [Yaḥyá Muḥammad Ḥamīd al-Dīn] and their respective claims to Najran. The volume concludes with reports on the outbreak of war between the two states and the war's early stages.

The correspondence discusses the following:

  • An offer, made to Ibn Sa'ud by King Faisal [Fayṣal bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī] of Iraq, to act as a mediator between Ibn Sa'ud and the Imam of Yemen.
  • The Italian Government's refusal to recognise Ibn Sa'ud's annexation of Asir.
  • An alleged oral agreement regarding the frontiers between Saudi Arabia (then the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd) and Yemen, which is believed to have been concluded between Ibn Sa'ud and the Imam of Yemen in 1927.
  • Reports of the occupation of Badr, Najran, by Yemeni troops.
  • Reports of Saudi troops having crossed the Asir-Yemeni frontier.
  • Anglo-Italian correspondence regarding the status of Asir.
  • Reports of Ibn Sa'ud having issued an ultimatum to the Imam of Yemen.
  • Treaty negotiations between Britain and Yemen.
  • Reports of Saudi-Yemeni negotiations.
  • Italian requests for 'projected discussions' with the British in Rome, regarding matters in Arabia.
  • Details of the outbreak of war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

The volume features the following principal correspondents: the Foreign Office; His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires, Jedda (Albert Spencer Calvert); the British Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan); His Majesty's Ambassador to Italy (Ronald William Graham, succeeded by James Eric Drummond); the Secretary of State for the Colonies [Philip Cunliffe-Lister]; the Minister for Foreign Affairs for Saudi Arabia [Fayṣal bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd]; King Faisal of Iraq [Fayṣal bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī]; Ibn Sa'ud; the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Also included are extracts from Aden and Kuwait Political Intelligence summaries, and copies of letters from 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. at Kuwait (Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Richard Patrick Dickson) to 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], regarding public opinion in Kuwait on the Saudi-Yemeni dispute.

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 (394 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 folio with 1 and terminates at the last flyleaf 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 present between ff 327-392 and is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers.

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English in Latin script
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Coll 6/4(2) 'Asir: Relations between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen.' [‎121v] (249/796), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2065, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061745076.0x000032> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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