IOR/L/PS/12/2090

This file concerns both Egyptian-Hejazi and Egyptian-Yemeni relations.

The file consists of copies of Foreign Office correspondence, most of which is between the High Commissioner in Egypt (George Ambrose Lloyd, succeeded by Sir Percy Loraine) and officials of the Foreign Office. The correspondence documents the British Government's misgivings about King Fuad of Egypt's friendly relations with the Imam of Yemen [Yaḥyá Muḥammad Ḥamīd al-Dīn].

Matters discussed include the following:

• King Fuad's decision to despatch a mission to Sanaa, which, according to the High Commissioner, could be interpreted as an anti-British and anti-Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] gesture.
• King Fuad's refusal to recognise Ibn Saud, reportedly against the wishes of his ministers.
• The British Government's concerns regarding the possibility of Egypt appointing an Egyptian Consul in Sanaa.
• Rumours of treaty negotiations between Egypt and Yemen.

In addition to correspondence, the file includes the following: a summary by Laurence Barton Grafftey-Smith of a report submitted by Egypt's envoy to Yemen, Hussein Hosny Bey, to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dated 2 June 1929; extracts from Aden intelligence summaries.

Almost all the material in this file dates from 1929; only the last few folios (ff 2-7) date from 1934. The French material in the file consists of one item of correspondence.

The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.