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of His Majesty’s Government will be one of friendly sympathy towards any cons
tructive proposals for peaceful co-opertion and for the development of close and
friendly relations among the leading states of Arabia ; King Feisal could be left to
• explain in greater detail exactly what he has in mind ; but, since it is not possible
for His Majesty’s Government, for the reasons explained above, and especially
in paragraphs 6, 8 and 15, to support any policy designed to bring about the political
unification of Arabia, it seems desirable that any suitable opportunity should be
taken to discourage King Feisal from identifying himself with, or committing himself
to, such a project. Such discouragement might, for instance, take the form of
advising His Majesty, as Sir Francis Humphrys has already done, that he can best
serve the Arab cause by concentrating his energies on the peaceful development
of his own country’s resources and institutions, so that, the Government of Iraq
may serve as a model and a source of encouragement to other Arab states.
19. In any case Sir Francis Humphrys has suggested that it would be well to
do whatever may be possible to discourage King Feisal from holding a Pan Arab
Congress in Bagdad, as it has been proposed that he should do this autumn. While
the arguments which may be used with King Feisal against the holding of a Congress
must necessarily depend to some extent on the course which the discussion of this
aspect of the question with him may take, the following considerations might
perhaps usefully be brought to His Majesty’s notice.
20. In the first place is it clear that none of the causes which King Feisal
may be presumed to have most at heart—e.#., the consolidation and international
standing of Iraq or the future prospects of the Hashimite family in general—are
likely to be furthered by the holding of an Arab or Moslem Congress either in Bagdad
or elsewhere at the present time. The proceedings of the Congress, for which King
Feisal could not escape a considerable measure of responsibility, could hardly fail
to produce an adverse reaction at least on the French, and therefore not only prove
internationally embarrassing but also render relations between Iraq and Syria mor6
difficult. The opportunity of the Congress would moreover .almost certainly be
taken to raise in an acutely controversial form such embarrassing questions for the
Hashimite family as that of the Amir Abdullah s attitude towaids the Jewish
Settlement in 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 , his relations, both now and in the recent past, with
King Ibn Sand, and his attitude towards certain Arab parties m Palestine itself.
Moreover, the Congress would almost certainly, as in the case of the Jerusalem
Congress of 1931, give an opportunity to zealots or mischief makers to make anti-
foreign speeches which would lead to bitter resentment m foreign countries with
Moslem interests, such as France and Italy ; it would offer a favourable opportunity
for anti-Hashimite propaganda intrigue, and would inevitably tend to intensity e
existing divisions in Arab opinion rather than to bring about a spirit of friendly an
effective co-operation among Arab peoples. Some of these arguments h^ve alie y
been used orally with King Feisal by Sir Francis Humphrys last F .^ a ^ and
and King Feisal then stated, that be was most anxious to avoid d° in g ^
which might have the effect of antagonising his neighbours or cause annoy n
or embarrassment to His Majesty’s Government. lere 18 re ., , r* r s
however, that His Majesty has not yet comp etely abandoned ^
and it is very desirable from every point of view that he should now be strongly
urged to make up his mind against its being held a a
( 23 )
Memorandum No. 52/1550/1427/2, dated the 2nd June 1933.
His Majesty’s Minister at Jedda presnts his compliments to His Excelkncy
the Viceroy of India, and has the honour to transmit to him the under-mentioned
documents.
Description of Enclosure.
xt i tv Subject.
ISame and Lae. q i f e i ec tricity to Mecca.
To Department of Overseas Trade, INo. O.T.- - PP 7
(1548/1427/2), of 2nd June 1933 and enclosure v hmi a t 0 . 1218-J.P.,
(Received with Private Secretary to Viceroy s Jfl
dated the 28th June Wo.)
(Copy sent to F. 0. under No. 164-(1549/1427/2) of 2nd June 1933.)