711.90f2/23
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Mellon)
Sir: The Department refers to the Embassy’s despatch No. 340 of September 9, 1932, stating that the Hejazi Minister has informed the [Page 993] Embassy that his Government withdraws its proposal relating to Part 1 (b) of the proposed provisional agreement between the United States and the Hejaz and Nejd and its Dependencies, regarding diplomatic and consular representation, juridical protection, commerce and navigation. It is also noted that the Hejazi Government restates its desire that Part 6 be retained as originally proposed by that Government; namely,
“6. The English and Arabic texts of the present agreement shall be of equal validity.”
Inasmuch as this is the sole point upon which agreement has not been reached, you are informed that the Department now accepts the above provision.
There is enclosed a revised text of the agreement15 embodying the changes upon which agreement has been reached and certain changes in form which seem to be appropriate in view of the desire to draw up the agreement in two languages of equal validity.
The Embassy is requested to obtain from the Hejazi Legation a copy of the Arabic text of the arrangement as now agreed upon and forward it to the American Legation at Cairo in order that a comparison may be made between the English and Arabic texts. If the Legation at Cairo shall find the two texts to be as nearly identic as is consistent with the differences in the languages, you are authorized to sign both texts. In the event that the Arabic text requires correction, the Embassy should have the necessary changes made.
The Department is informed that the name of the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd and its Dependencies has been changed to “The Arabian Saudian Kingdom”. The text of the final draft of the agreement has been made to conform to this change.
A copy of the Department’s instruction on the matter to the Legation at Cairo is herewith enclosed.15
Very truly yours,