"الملف 61/28 (D 85) بعثة الحجاز-نجد إلى أوروبا" [و‎‎١‎٩] (١٠٨/٤٦)

3
expressed readiness to consider sympathetically any request for assistance 01
advice.
Fuad Bey Hamza said that there were Wakfs administered by Government
departments in British-controlled territory, e.g.
(i) There were Wakfs in Palestine, administered by the Supreme Moslem
Council. i
(ii) Certain moneys, sent by the Nizam of Hyderabad, were distributed m
the Hejaz. Fuad Bey seemed to think that these might be the proceeds
of Wakfs. ' - . t
(iii) A certain Ali Surraty (? Surati), probably an Indian, died m J a\a,
leaving properties in Rangoon, the proceeds of one-third of which
were to be devoted to the poor in Medina and Mecca. The Hejaz-Nejd
Government had applied to the authorities in Java, who replied that
they could do nothing in respect of the properties in Burma, and that
application should be made to the Administrator-General of Trusts
there. Nothing had been received by the Hejaz-Nejd Government.
Fuad Bey also said that his Government might wish to send a delegation to
India to make enquiries.
Sir L. Olifhant said that he would cause enquiries to be made regarding
these specific cases which Fuad Bey had mentioned, and that no doubt such
assistance as might be possible would be readily given by the India Office, e.g.,
they would probably be ready to advise the Hejaz-Nejd Government as to the
choice of legal representatives if required.
In regard to point IV, Transjordan, Sir L. Oliyliant said that there was no
use disguising the fact that relations on the frontier had given rise to considerable
friction, and that in 1930 they were very bad indeed. He did not wish to go into
details at the moment. It was, however, in his opinion, a very good sign that
King Abdul Aziz should now have declared his readiness to make with
Transjordan similar agreements to those made with Iraq. The matter was not,
however, quite plain sailing; as he had already mentioned, Transjordan was not
a colony, but a mandated territory, and there were quarters in which difficulties
in this matter might arise. He would have the question examined
As regards V, the question of relations with the Soviet, Sir L. Oliphant said
that he would refer the matter to the Secretary of State.
Fuad Bey Hamza said that the relations of the Hejaz-Nejd Government
with the Soviet were unique; they had diplomatic relations, but the Hejaz-Nejd
Government maintained an embargo on Soviet imports. Reminded of the contract
for the supply of certain consignments of Soviet benzine to the Hejaz-Nejd, Fuad
Bey Hamza said that that was a Government contract, and an exception to the
general rule.
In reply to Sir L. Oliphanfs enquiry whether there was any other question
which he wished to raise, Fuad Bey Hamza said that, as he had already
mentioned, the Hejaz-Nejd Government looked to His Majesty's Government for
material as well as for moral support. An American engineer (Fuad Bey Hamza
no doubt referred to Mr. Twitchell) had recently been exploring the mineral
resources of the Hejaz and Hasa, and had presented reports which he (Fuad Bey)
had with him. King Abdul Aziz always preferred to deal with the British, and
would welcome the assistance of British firms in exploiting the mineral resources
of his country.
Sir L. Oliphant intimated that British firms might hesitate to accept the
report not drawn up by a British expert, and that there might be doubt as to the
readiness of British firms to sink capital in a little-known country at the present
time. ,
tA... .A )