IOR/R/15/1/594

The volume contains correspondence relating to the conception, planning, and first sitting of the Kuwait Conference. It is between the Political Residency at Bushire, the Political Agencies at Kuwait and Bahrain, the High Commissioners in Baghdad and Jerusalem, the Colonial Office in London, the British Agency at Jeddah, the Government of India, Sheikh Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, ruler of Kuwait, Ibn Sa'ud, Sultan of Najd, King Faisal of Iraq, and Amir Abdullah of Transjordan.

The main aim of the conference was to settle issues of border delineation between Najd, Transjordan, the Hejaz, and Iraq. Other issues of negotiation were the return of Shammar refugees to Najd from Iraq and compensation for past raids. Much of the correspondence deals with this. The discussion focuses around the status of places that there is most disagreement on: Wadi Sirhan (Jauf [Jawf], Kaf [Kāf]), Akaba [al-‘Aqaba], and Maan [Ma‘ān]. Other more practical arragments are also discussed. Such as costs, accommodation, and attendees.

Prominent in the volume are the following subjects:

• the involvement of Sheikh Khazal of Mohammerah;
• rumours of Ikhwan raids into the Hejaz;
• King Hussein's refusal to attend or send a delegate;
• British dissaproval of Hafiz Wahba as a representative of Najd;
• the threat of Faisal al-Dawish attacking Medina.

The volume covers up until the adjournment of the conference, including arrangements for the second phase of negotiations.