File 87/1926 Pt 2 'Arabia: Bin Saud: Relations with H.M.G. Revision of Treaty.' [‎322r] (331/840)

TELSGRAI FROM SECRETARY OF STATJS 'HQ VICEROY
BATED 22i’iD AUGUST, 1926
207 WORDS
2245
Forei^m Department, Your telegram 12th July 12133 and
your K)reign Secretary^ letter 14th July D 2151 iu
On examination of agroomerits with Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. chiefs
I came to conclusion that oouraunication of copies to I n
Saud would do little to restrain him from agression on
Qatar Truoial coast and Oman hinterland, I addressed
Colonial Office acccrdir^y and suggested repetition in
new Treaty of substance of Article Tl of 1915 Treaty
excluding? final sentence, or alternatively, if Political
Resident nas clear evidence that in 1922 I bn Saad committed
himself to acceptance of EaBtern Frontier of held
corresponding to blue line of 1913 agreement with Turkey,
attempt to include definition of this frontier in treaty
conceding if necessary right to collect zukat beyond it,
I also supported proposal in Foreign 3ecretary f s letter
quoted. Copy of letters by mail oi 12th August,
Inter-departmental Conference accepted view as to
inutility of common!eating copies of Treaties but maintained
opinion as to uridesira ility of attempting to sec re
repetition of ibrticle VI of old Treaty or to tie Ibn Sand
down in Treaty to Eastern Frontier line. View was that
attempt would probaljly fail and if successful would entail
a measure of commitment on our part in a direction that
we might find undesirable or inconvenient. Conference
was therefore in favour of omission from Treaty of all
reference to Gulf chiefs holding that natter might be
otherwise referred to in course of negotiations and that
His ■aiesty , a Government would rbtain power to protest
against or resist specific aggression as circumstances
jgirb indicate and that it would be undesirable^in meantime
to invoke Article VI against aggressive acts of Emir of
nfcfi* Colonial Office accordingly propone to take no
action at present on Bushire despatch 13 of 9th June.
I feel some doubt whether omission from new treaty of
restrictive article previously acceptedby Ibn Gaud may not
encourage him in aggression but if it is to be omitted
invocation of existing article now would be inconsistent
and would only accentuate effect of omission. I am not
however entirely convinced that Ibn Saud is likely to
refuse to subscribe to article similar to Article VI of
old Treaty or would fail to respond to appeal to that
article if made now. Aggression reported by Resident
seems