File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎39v] (83/898)

‘2
attention, but, at the same time, to necessitate great reserve in accepting them. One
of the more precise rumours in May was that the Masariha tribe had destroyed the
Neidi garrison at Abu Arish, inland from Jizan. It is possible that the King may
have a troublesome situation in Asir itself. It is also possible that he may hope at
a favourable opportunity to extend southward along the coast, where the boundary
between Asir and Yemen remains undefined. But it seems improbable that he would
try conclusions with the Imam of Sana in recognised Y emen territory.
4. The question of general negotiations between His Majesty’s Government
and Ibn Sand" regarding Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. questions remained in abeyance during the
month.
5. Much the most important event of the month in connexion with frontier
relations was the despatch of letters from the King to King Feisal and Fuad Hamza
to the Iraq Minister for Foreign Affairs intimating in studiously polite but definite
language that Ibn Saud was not prepared to confirm the Treaty of Friendship and
Bon Voisinage An agreement or treaty based on principles of 'good neighbourliness', often signed between countries which share borders. , agreed to in principle at the £ ‘Lupin’ ’ Conference and initialled by his
Ministers at Bagdad on the 9th March, until such time as an extradition treaty
should have been also negotiated. Fuad Hamza sent copies of these letters to Sir
Andrew Ryan under cover of a personal letter of the 25th May and requested
orally that, if the Iraq Government wished to know in advance the contents of the
letters to Bagdad, they should be told by Sir F. Humphrys. On the 28th May, Sir
Andrew Ryan had a long conversation with Fuad Hamza. He told him that he was
conveying the information to His Majesty’s Government and Sir Francis Humphrys
and could not express any official view unless instructed to do so by the former. He
gave it as his personal view that His Majesty’s Government would be deeply
disappointed at the setback to a rapprochement which they had done so much to
promote and which had attracted more attention in Great Britain than any Arabian
event of recent years. He recognised that the question of an extradition treaty had
been associated with that of Bon Voisinage An agreement or treaty based on principles of 'good neighbourliness', often signed between countries which share borders. at an earlier stage, but pointed out that
it had not been raised on board the “ Lupin.” He stressed the difficulty of nego
tiating such a treaty at an early stage in the establishment of normal relations and
the desirability of proceeding by stages towards that friendship and confidence which
it was sought to create between Iraq, a country which His Majesty’s Government
were steering on the path of independence and Hejaz-Nejd, an already independent
country towards which they were well disposed. On the 31st May Sir Andrew Ryan
was authorised to make an official communication on the lines of what he had said
as from himself, subject to any observations that might be made by Sir Francis
Humphrys. The latter endorsed Sir Andrew Ryan’s views with the additions that
a deplorable impression would be created in the Iraq Government also and a reminder
that the rejected agreement embodied King Feisal’s recognition of Ibn Saud, a
recognition to which the former had only agreed under strong pressure by Sir Francis.
Ibn Saud s resentment over the non-return of Ibn Mashhur would appear to have
much to do with his attitude in this matter.
International Relations.
fitv, Mo, Hl L Mi k eS - ty 8 ^ nister a , rrived in Jedda in H.M.S. “Dahlia” on the
tnf nnLo T I e ^^authorities sl l ow ed the courtesies usual here. An officer was
to td. loTK ? a fir8 T t a § e of welcome. The Governor of Jedda came down
messno-el nf w?l^ tage ; i I V he , e . nS “ ln § twenty-four hours the King had further
^sass!^
Kin^dfsoffikTereaFaffebdit^ r rt ° f th e a «dience which followed the
from Eawot The Kina' h' ^ i# holographs were taken by a press photographer
entertfiSd SiAnd^v n Self KP pe f r i d m , one group. Sheikh Fuad Hamza
entertained sir Andrew Ryan and his staff at dinner in the evenim? Manv of the
he returned J^Mecfa 68 ‘ibn stYdld^ Itis^ha ^rllfd ofM^y ? ^
Raczynsky, bf ^E^tTfe^ “