File 1166/1925 'Arabia: Nejd; negotiations with Ibn Saud regarding Iraq-Nejd question and Trans-Jordan boundary; Sir G Clayton's mission; Bahra agreement, 2nd November, 1925' [‎140r] (286/769)

I suggested, in reply, that he should think over very carefully my
full and frank statement, when he might possibly desire to speak
with me again on the subject on the following morning or at some
future time.
The meeting then closed.
Ninth Meeting.
The ninth meeting, which was held at the request of Sultan Ibn
Sa‘ud, took place at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, 22nd October, Mr.
Antonius being present and Ibn Sa'ud being attended by Sheikhs
Hafiz and Yusuf.
I enquired whether His Highness had anything to say to me on
the subject which we had discussed at the previous meeting.
Ibn Sa‘ud replied with a repetition of all his previous professions,
maintaining that he had always endeavoured to act in a manner
which would not be prejudicial to British interests and had often
taken action to preserve them on occasions which might never have
come to the notice of His Majesty’s Government. He reiterated his
desire to meet the wishes of His Majesty’s Government in every
possible way and impressed upon me his extreme embarrassment and
the difficulty of his position with regard to Kaf and the serious effect
that would be produced upon his personal prestige and authority were
the wishes of His Majesty’s Government acceded to on this point.
I replied that matters appeared for the moment to have reached a
deadlock, and that further discussion did not seem likely to help
matters. I should therefore have to consider the situation and
decide upon the course to be pursued. I suggested therefore that we
should talk over certain minor points connected with my mission in
order that time might not be wasted.
I then raised the point of Nejd representation in Damascus,
explained the circumstances as they appeared to His Majesty’s
Government, and asked what were the views and wishes of His
Highness in the matter. Ibn Sa‘ud said he would be glad of time
in which to refer to correspondence on the subject, after which he
would communicate his views.
I then mentioned that I wished to discuss with him the question
that was still outstanding between His Government and that of ‘Iraq
with regard to the restitution of loot which had been taken in the
course of various raids between Nejd and ‘Iraq. I informed him
that I was not in a position to undertake any detailed settlement
as I had not with me sufficient data, nor did I consider that such a
complicated question was one which was suitable for us to discuss.
I thought, however, that it should be possible for us to come to
some agreement as to the general procedure which should be
adopted in order that a settlement of this vexed question might
eventually be arrived at, and I suggested that it might be useful if
Taufiq Bey Suwaidi, the ‘Iraq delegate, were to have a preliminary
discussion with His Highness’ advisers on this matter.
Ibn Sa‘ud agreed to this suggestion and the meeting then closed.
As he rose, the Sultan asked whether I had any objection to his
proceeding to Mecca for the Friday visit, and stated that he would
make it a point of returning to the camp by Saturday at the latest.