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' [‎162r] (330/769)

‘Iraq and by Nejd, with a view to paving the way for a final settle
ment of this question, I have the honour to inform you that my
discussions with Sheikh Hafiz and Sheikh Yusuf have resulted in
agreement on the following points of principle :—
(i) That the ‘Uqair Conference be taken as the starting
point for the reckoning of loot and losses claimed respectively
by ‘Iraq and Nejd on account of raids committed by their tribes
until the date of the Bahra Agreement.
(ii) That the tribunal provided in Article 2 of the ‘Iraq
Agreement* be charged with the task of enquiring into the
claims of both sides and of returning plunder and assessing
compensation for the losses resulting from raids taking place
since the ‘Uqair Conference, without prejudice to the other
duties with which this tribunal will have to perform in the
future.
(iii) That this tribunal be assembled and meet within a period
not exceeding six months from the date of the ratification of the
Bahra Agreement by the ‘Iraq Government in accordance with
their constitutional laws.
2. In view of this I beg that you will obtain the concurrence of
His Highness the Sultan to this agreement with a view to making
it supplementary to the Bahra Agreement. Respects.
Taufiq Suwaidi,
‘Iraq Delegate.
Sir Gilbert Clayton, K.B.E., etc., His Britannic Majesty's Commis
sioner and Plenipotentiary, to His Highness ‘ Abdu’l-‘ Aziz ibn
• Abdu’r-Rahman al-Faisal Al Sa'ud, Sultan of Nejd and its
Dependencies.
Bahra,
31st October, 1925.
Your Highness,
I have the honour to recall that in one of our recent conversations
I spoke to Your Highness about the necessity of settling the question
of loot and losses resulting from past raids by tribes from ‘Iraq and
Nejd, and we agreed that it would be necessary to lay down general
principles and formulate a procedure for the satisfactory settlement
of this question.
2. In accordance with our agreement, laufiq Bey Suwaidi, the Iraq
representative, has discussed the question with Sheikh Haliz and
Sheikh Yusuf, and they have come to a preliminary agreement on the
subject. I have the honour, therefore, to request that Your High
ness may, if you see fit, signify to me your concurrence in the follow
ing proposals :—
(a) That the ‘Uqair Conference should be taken as the start
ing point for reckoning the losses claimed respectively by Iraq
and Nejd on account of the raids which have taken place between
that Conference and the date of ratification by the Iraq Govern
ment of the Bahra Agreement.
Annexure 11.