Coll 6/4(2) 'Asir: Relations between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen.' [‎215r] (436/796)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia).
CONFIDENTIAL.
p. z7|
0 | Z A December v5, 1933.
O I 1 :
Section 1.
* ’T tsr I
Vc<o o J
[E 7492/759/25] No. 1.
Mr. Calvert to Sir John Simon.—{Received December 5.)
g^ 0 ^ Jedda, November 14, 1933.
’ WITH reference to my despatch N o. 328 and my telegrams Nos. 190 and 193_
of the 7th, 12th and 12th November, respectively, regarding the present dispute
between Ibn Sand and the Imam Yahya of the Yemen, I have the honour to report
more fully than was possible in my telegrams under reference my conversation of
the 12th November with Fuad Bey Hamza in so far as it concerned the present
situation of tension between the two countries. The meeting was the first I had
been able to have with the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs since his return
from abroad, owing to his somewhat prolonged absence in Riyadh, as I have
reported to you elsewhere. .
2. Fuad Bey Hamza explained that he had gone to Riyadh immediately upon
his return to this country in order to consult Ibn Sand in regard to the baudi-
Yemen situation, to bring his own information on the subject up to date and to
acquaint himself with what he termed the c ‘ inside of the question. He was
cognisant of the communications which had already passed between Ibn baud and
His Majesty’s Government through Sheikh Abdullah Suleiman and this Legation,
and said that it was the King himself who was dealing with all matters relating
to the present situation, as all papers were at once passed on to Riyadh by the
Minister for Foreign Affairs, copies only being retained by the Ministry at Mecca.
It was a case, therefore, of the two rulers, rather than their Governments, being m
direct control of this delicate situation. a u^ n c
3 He informed me that since my last interview with Sheikn Abduilan
Suleiman there had been certain further developments of importance. On the
8th November Ibn Baud had received (probably by wireless) a communication from
the Imam Yahya asking to be informed of the reason for the recent concentration
of Saudi troops near the southern frontiers of Asir. Two days later the King
had replied stating that the measures were purely precautionary and were a
consequence of similar concentrations and other military activities which had for
some time been steadily pressed forward on the Yemeni side of the border. I he
King had again emphasised, according to Fuad Bey Hamza, his firm intention of
avoiding any act of aggression, but maintained his resolve to defend the integrity
of his territories. The King had also seized the opportunity presented by this
renewal of correspondence with the Imam to include with his lep y a le oimu a
tion of his demands, his four points (summarised m my telegram No 186), and
Fuad Bey Hamza went on to describe the communication as being m the natme
of an ultimatum. He represented the King’s demands as reasonable, for, said e
as far as the Tihama was concerned, Ibn Baud would be justified from a lega
point of view, in demanding the cession of more territory to the south than he was
actually claiming. When Ibn Baud concluded his first treaty with the Idrisi some
fourteen years ago, the latter’s seat of government was at Ho ei a, an e1 ^ oi y
as far south as that port was then considered as the Idrisi sphere Ibn Baud
however, was now contenting himself with that portion of Tihamat Asu as fa
only as the present frontier. Surely this was reasonable.
1 4 As regarded the Idrisi himself, by the terms of the Saudi-Yemen Treaty
of C£ Bon-Voisinage,” &c., of December 1931, he should have been handed over
to Ibn Baud by the Imam. The treaty provided for the extradition of all offenders,
political as well as other, yet the Imam’s obligation m this respect had not been
carried out. But Ibn Baud was magnanimously prepared not to insist on tffe
surrender of the Idrisi (in deference to the traditional Arab custom m regard to
asylum and sanctuary), provided that he was either expelled fiom e emen or,
Fuad Bey Hamza gave me to understand, removed from the frontier zone to some
place as, for example, Sana, where he would be out of haim s way. uie y is,
too, was reasonable.
[991 e—1]
737^'