File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎8v] (21/898)

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18th December Sir Francis Humphrys repeated to Jedda a telegram to London
reporting that the Iraq Prime Minister was prepared to proceed to Jedda m
order to sign the Bon-Voisinage Agreement and negotiate an extradition treaty,
provided that the Hejaz Government would agree to sign the former first and
not make their signature dependent on the extradition negotiations^ Nuri Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
proposed also to discuss other matters, including the Ibn Mashhur imbroglio and
the general question of Iraq-Nejd claims and counter-claims. On the 30th
December the Foreign Office telegraphed to His Majesty’s Minister for his views, rj
His observations (which were not actually telegraphed until the 1st January, but
may conveniently be summarised here) were to the general effect that he viewed
with favour Nuri Pasha’s proposal, which squared with the outcome of his own
conversations with Fuad Bey Hamza last summer, provided the Iraq Government
could promise early ratification of the Bon-Voisinage Agreement once signed, and
that they would be ready to take up at the outset an accommodating attitude on
the question of the definition of political offenders in any extradition treaty.
He suggested that the Iraq Government might reasonably be expected to agree
in principle to the Hejaz-Nejd contention that tribal offenders should be excluded
from this definition. He thought that the question of claims might be left for
the negotiators to thresh out when they met. While expressing those views on
Nuri Pasha’s proposed action, as described by him to Sir F. Humphrys, Sir A.
Ryan drew attention to the possible bearing of a statement said to have been
made by the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. to the press in October, to the effect that he intended to
promote some sort of alliance or combine of Arab States, including Iraq, Trans
jordan and Hejaz-Nejd, and contemplated visiting the other capitals this winter
with that object.
(b) As regards the other points mentioned in the last paragraph, it appears
(though it was not known to the Legation in December) that the Iraq Minister for
Foreign Affairs wrote a letter to the Hejaz Minister for Foreign Affairs on the
13th December regarding claims and another at or about the same time on extra
dition. The first made it clear that the £30,000, which King Feisal had expressed
readiness several months ago to accept (see section 8 (b) of Report for July and
August) in settlement of claims against Nejd, represented the amount which he
considered due on balance and not an assessment of Iraq claims to be followed by
a separate assessment of Nejdi claims against Iraq. The text of the letter on
extradition had not reached the Legation up to the time of writing this report,
but it is understood to be uncompromising on the question of political offenders. ’
(c) The Ibn Masnhur affair (see section 11 (d) of previous report) continued
to be the subject of active correspondence during December. It included a letter
from King Feisal to Ibn Saud of the 14th December apologising for his failure to
return Ibn Mashhur, according to plan, owing to the latter’s faithlessness and
promising by way of amends to place the family and property of Ibn Mashhur at
Ibn Saud’s disposal. The Legation took no parallel action as His Majesty’s
Government preferred that any communication as from them to the Heiaz
Government should be delayed pending elucidation of the Iraq Government’s
exact intention in regard to the property of Ibn Mashhur, part of which had in
tact been already seized by them in satisfaction of Iraq claims in respect of past
raids by Ibn Mashhur from Nejd into Iraq. K F
7. Koweit (see section 12 (a) of previous report).
(a) FoUowing on earlier correspondence His Majesty’s Minister was
authorised soon after his return to Jedda, on the 19th December to make a fresh
attempt to further a complete reconciliation between Ibn Saud and the Political
Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , with whom the King is still angry because of the
circumstances surrounding his visit to Bahrein on his return from the Lupin
Conference last January. The King had replied fairly satisfactorilv to -i
personal letter addressed to him by Sir A. Ryan at the end of August but the
incident was known to be still rankling in his mind. The matter Is imnortant
owing to the wish of His Majesty’s Government to employ the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency.
on any negotiates of Koweit questions, whieh, if embarked of would froblbK
have to be of more general scope as regards the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Arising out of
vanmis discussions m London, it was suggested that Colonel Biscoe milht visit
A P g v so f e . c “ venient Pj ace m Nejd during Ibn Saud’s stay there Pi,
A. Ryan broached this proposal to Fuad Bey Hamza in a personal letter of ti e
28th December, with which he also sent a letter to be forwarded to Ibn Saud
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