File 87/1926 Pt 2 'Arabia: Bin Saud: Relations with H.M.G. Revision of Treaty.' [‎534r] (755/840)

operations in that area in the interests of public order he would,
without delay, inform His Majesty’s Government; that he would
prevent by all means at his disposal any incursion into Trans-Jordan
territory ; that he would promote by all possible means good relations
between his representatives in the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Sirhan and the Chief
British Representative in Trans-Jordan, and would also promote a
regular interchange of visits in order that full co-operation might be
secured and that satisfactory relations might be established ; that he
-"would preserve existing grazing and other rights of tribes which
were not under his jurisdiction but which they might possess in the
Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Sirhan and neighbourhood.
I then rehearsed the remaining articles of the Agreement which 1
had drafted, informing Ibn Sa'ud that they were merely articles,
already agreed upon as between Nejd and ‘Iraq, which I considered
would be suitable for inclusion in an agreement affecting Nejd and
Trans-Jordan.
1 concluded by expressing the hope that my proposals would be
accepted by His Highness in the spirit in which they were put for
ward, and that they would lead to the speedy conclusion of a formal
agreement which I felt convinced would be the foundation of per
manent good relations between His Majesty’s Government and that
of His Highness.
His Highness replied by expressing his appreciation of the manner
in which a question which affected him deeply and was of the highest
importance to his Government had been treated, and of the way in
which the Representative of His Majesty’s Government had shown a
spirit of wise and generous concession. He reiterated his expres
sions of friendship and loyal intentions, adding that an Agreement
based on the lines which I had set out must serve to cement good
relations and lead to still closer ties in the future. He expressed
his willingness to concur in the terms of the conditional clauses
which I had inserted, and stated that they were entirely in accord
ance with his own wishes. With regard to those portions of the
frontier line other than Kaf, he would wait the receipt of my detailed
proposals and would give them his full consideration, and he sin
cerely hoped an agreement would be speedily arrived at.
I then suggested to Ibn Sa‘ud that we should close the interview
in order that Mr. Antonius might proceed immediately to prepare a
translation of my draft Agreement so that it might be submitted to
Ibn Sa‘ud as quickly as possible.
The meeting then closed.
Eleventh Meeting.
The eleventh meeting was held on Monday, the 26th October, at
9 a.m., with the usual attendance.
I asked Ibn SaTid whether he had considered the proposals which
I had submitted to him on the previous afternoon in the form of a
draft agreement, and whether he was prepared to give me his obser
vations thereon.
He started by saying that there was little that he objected to in
the proposals, except in regard to two special points upon which he