SAUDI ARABIA ESTABLISHMENT BY THE UNITED STATES OF A CONSULATE AT DHAHRAN WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE SAUDI ARABIAN GOVERNMENT1 125.0090F/13: Telegram The Minister Resident in Saudi Arabia (Moose) to the Secretary of State JIDDA, January 16, 1944-3 p. m. [Received 8:15 p. m.] 21. A request was made to the King on December 15 for permission to put into effect plan for consular representation in Dhahran referred to in Department's 110, November 30, 10 p. m.,3 and the King referred question to Yusuf Yassin, Acting Foreign Minister. No reply has yet been received and I fear that if the matter is pressed now the answer will be no. Minister of Finance who favors plan suggests that it be left dormant until opportunity occurs for discussing it directly with Amir Faisal. Details follow by mail. MOOSE 125.0090F/13: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Minister Resident in Saudi Arabia (Moose) WASHINGTON, January 29, 1944—3 p. m. 17. It is hoped that you will seek an early favorable opportunity with reference to your no. 21, January 16, 3 p. m. to discuss with Amir Faisal plans for representation in Dhahran. HULL 1 For previous correspondence on this subject, see Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. IV, pp. 833 ff. 2 Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, King of Saudi Arabia. Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. IV, p. 840. Shaikh Abdullah Sulaiman. 5 Second son of the King, Viceroy of the Hejaz, and Saudi Arabian Minister for Foreign Affairs; for correspondence regarding the Amir Faisal's visit to the United States, from which he was returning at this time, see Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. IV, pp. 840 ff. 6 Despatch 92, January 12, not printed. 658 125.0090F/15: Telegram The Minister Resident in Saudi Arabia (Moose) to the Secretary of State JIDDA, February 8, 1944-10 a. m. [Received 1:06 p. m.] 41. Plans for consular representation in Dhahran referred to in Department's 17, January 29, 3 p. m., discussed with Amir Faisal February 6. His personal reaction appeared favorable though he promised nothing more than a reply after having referred matter to King. MOOSE 125.0090F/18: Telegram The Minister Resident in Saudi Arabia (Moose) to the Secretary of State JIDDA, March 4, 1944-10 p. m. [Received 11:26 p. m.] 61. My 58, March 2, 5 p. m. In a note dated today Saudi Government granted permission for appointment of an American Consul at Dhahran. Such permission regularizes the status of officer to be stationed there and will provide better argument for eventual inclusion of Bahrein in Dhahran district. In my opinion it is still advantageous to recruit consular staff at Dhahran from personnel of this Legation and all recommendations in my 58 apply to new situation with same force as to former plan.s MOOSE 125.0090F/29a: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) WASHINGTON, May 29, 1944-midnight. 4283. Reference is made to Mr. Wallace Murray's conversation with Sir Maurice Peterson and other British officials on April 18 regarding the performance of American consular functions in Bahrein. "Not printed. 8 The Consulate at Dhahran was established effective August 17, 1944, and opened formally on September 2. Mr. Murray, Director, Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs, was chief member, with respect to Near Eastern affairs, on the staff of the Under Secretary of State (Stettinius), who was engaged in informal and general conversations at London, April 7-April 29, 1944, with the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Eden); Sir Maurice Peterson held a corresponding position in the British delegation; for correspondence regarding the Stettinius Mission, see vol. I, pp. 1 ff. It is expected that an American consular office will be opened at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in the near future. This office will have no separate consular district in Saudi Arabia but will function under the supervision of the Legation at Jidda. It is proposed however to include Bahrein within the consular jurisdiction of the office at Dhahran on an informal basis. In view of the inclusion of Bahrein within the jurisdiction of Dhahran on an informal basis, it would be understood that no exequaturs would be issued to American consular officers for Bahrein by the appropriate authorities. It would be appreciated if officials in Bahrein would extend such facilities as would prove helpful to American consular officers in the performance of their duties in Bahrein. Please discuss the foregoing proposal with the Foreign Office and report to the Department whether the foregoing suggested arrangements are agreeable to the British authorities. HULL 125.0090F/30: Telegram The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State LONDON, June 1, 1944-6 p. m. [Received June 1-4 p. m.] 4389. The Foreign Office is in entire agreement with the proposals contained in the Department's telegram 4283, May 29, midnight, regarding opening of American Consular Office at Dhahran. As regards extension of facilities which would prove helpful to American consular officers in the performance of their duties in Bahrein, the Foreign Office will arrange that the India Office so instruct the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (resident at Bushire, where he is British Consul General) who will advise British Political Agent at Bahrein to that effect. WINANT EXCHANGE WITH THE SAUDI ARABIAN GOVERNMENT REGARDING THE ATTITUDE OF THE UNITED STATES TOWARD THE GENERAL QUESTION OF ARAB UNION [In continuation of an exchange of views, initiated in 1943 by a request from the Saudi Arabian Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Yusuf Yassin, as to the attitude of the United States Government on the general question of Arab union (see Foreign Relations, 1943, volume IV, pages 852 ff.), the Department of State responded to a second request by Shaikh Yusuf in July, 1944, by reiterating the position which it had set forth in 1943 (telegrams 213, July 17, 1944, 11 a. m., from Jidda, and 141, July 21, 1944, 5 p. m., to Jidda, respectively, neither printed [890B.00/7-1744]). This exchange was made against the background of discussions then proceeding in the capitals of the Arab States for the convening of an exploratory conference on Arab unity. This conference, organized as a "Preparatory Committee", met at Alexandria, Egypt, on September 25, 1944, and on October 7, 1944, passed a series of resolutions which endorsed the formation of a League of Arab States and which became known as the Alexandria Protocol. The League came into being on March 22, 1945, with the conclusion at Cairo of the Pact of the League of Arab States. For a survey of the wartime sequence of events, 1941-1945, relating to the question of Arab union, together with the texts of the Alexandria Protocol and the Arab League Pact, see Department of State Bulletin, May 18, 1947, pages 963 ff.] PROPOSALS BY THE UNITED STATES FOR USE OF AN AIR ROUTE OVER SAUDI ARABIA AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN AIRFIELD NEAR DHAHRAN 883.79690F/9-444 The American Minister Resident in Saudi Arabia (Moose) to the Saudi Arabian Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs (Yusuf Yassin) 10 No. 87 JIDDA, July 29, 1944. EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to refer to my conversation with His Majesty King Abdul Aziz ibn Abdurrahman at Riyadh on Tuesday evening, July 25, 1944, and, in continuation thereof, to ask Your Excellency to present to His Majesty the request of the United States military authorities for permission to make an aerial and engineering survey in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to determine the feasibility of a direct air route from Cairo, Egypt, to a point near Dhahran. As has already been explained to Your Excellency, the United States military air forces are responsible for heavy air traffic movements between points in North Africa and India, and the responsible authorities believe that a direct route between Cairo and a point near Dhahran would materially facilitate the movement of this traffic, and aid in the prosecution of the war. The flight of airplanes between Cairo and Karachi now follows the Cairo-Habbaniyah-Abadan-Bahrein-Karachi route, or a distance of 2471 statute miles. The direct route Cairo-Dhahran-Karachi would 10 Copy transmitted to the Department in despatch 1, September 4, from Jidda; received September 13. reduce the distance to 2259 statute miles, thereby effecting a saving of 212 statute miles for each flight of each plane. In addition to the saving in distance, flight along the direct alignment from Cairo to Dhahran would mean that the entire route from Morocco to India would be divided into approximately equal stages, and that the loading of a plane need not be changed because of the necessity of taking on greater or smaller quantities of gasoline proportionate to the length of variable stages. Your Excellency will no doubt recall that the United States military authorities have no intention of abandoning the route Cairo-AbadanBahrein, but desire to supplement it by the more direct route from Cairo to Dhahran. In order to determine the feasibility of the proposed direct route from Cairo to Dhahran, the United States military authorities request permission to make an aerial survey of the proposed route, to consist of six round trip flights from Cairo east across Saudi Arabia to Dhahran, to observe weather conditions, and to determine locations of emergency landing fields and of radio aids to navigation, as well as the general feasibility of the route. They also request permission to carry out an engineering survey in the area lying within 150 miles of Dhahran to determine the most suitable site for an airport on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia. The surveys can begin immediately, and can be terminated within a period of sixty days. Should the proposed route be found feasible, and should the present runways at Bahrein not be capable of supporting the heavy traffic expected, the United States military authorities will desire permission to construct an airport somewhere within the area lying within 150 miles of Dhahran, If His Majesty desires further details of the projected air route, I shall be glad to obtain and supply any information desired. There is forwarded with this note a map showing the present air route from Cairo to Bahrein via Habbaniyah and Abadan, as well as the direct route from Cairo to Dhahran. It is hoped that His Majesty will be able to assist the United States military authorities in their task by granting the permission indicated above. Accept [etc.] 883.79690F/9-444: Telegram JAMES S. MOOSE, JR. The Appointed Minister to Saudi Arabia (Eddy) to the Secretary of State JIDDA, September 4, 1944-9 a. m. [Received 8:05 p. m.] 265. Received reply from Saudi Arabian Government to Legation note July 29 requesting on behalf of Commanding General |