890f.01/33
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Dawes) to the Secretary of
State
London, April 14, 1931.
[Received April
22.]
No. 1832
Sir: Referring to my cablegram No. 107, April
14, 4 p.m.,11 and
previous correspondence concerning the question of extending the formal
recognition of the United States Government to the Kingdom of the Hedjaz
and Nejd and its Dependencies, I have the honor to transmit herewith a
copy of the memorandum handed me this morning by the Minister of the
Hedjaz and Nejd in reply to the memorandum
[Page 551]
given by me to him on March 5, 1931, a copy of
which was forwarded with the Embassy’s despatch No. 1808, April 1,
1931.12
Respectfully yours,
For the Ambassador:
Benjamin Thaw,
Jr.
First Secretary of
Embassy[Enclosure]
The Minister of the Hejaz and Nejd in Great
Britain (Hafiz
Wahba) to the American
Ambassador (Dawes)
Memorandum
The Minister of the Hedjaz and Nejd has received the reply of his
Government to the Memorandum presented to him by His Excellency the
American Ambassador in London, on the 6th of March 1931.
The Government of His Majesty King Abdul Azeez Al Saud tender their
thanks to the American Government for their readiness to give
favourable and sympathetic consideration to the request for the
recognition of the Kingdom of the Hedjaz and Nejd, and its
Dependencies.
His Majesty’s Government signify their desire to enter with the
American Government, into a Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and
Navigation—providing for the most favoured nation treatment as they
have done with other powers.
His Majesty’s Government have the honour to inform the American
Government that the Hedjaz and Nejd laws, governing the
administration of justice in civil, commercial, and criminal cases
are The Islamic Laws. In addition, a special council is provided for
commercial cases. With regard to cases of Personal Status,
non-Moslem foreigners are treated according to special laws in
common with other non-Moslem Europeans.
The Minister of the Hedjaz and Nejd would be grateful if His
Excellency the American Ambassador would be good enough to convey
the above to the American Government.
