IOR/L/PS/12/3735

This file contains correspondence between British officials concerning a number of agreements agreed between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in 1942 (and ratified in 1943).

The agreements were intended to formalise relations between the two countries and to end a trade blockade that had been imposed on Kuwait by Saudi Arabia. Much of the correspondence concerns the exact wording of these agreements and numerous amendments that were made to them. The correspondence also briefly discusses the desire of the Ruler of Saudi Arabia, Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] to establish a customs post in Wafra.

The majority of the correspondence in the file is between British officials (including at the Foreign Office, India Office, the British Legation in Jeddah and the Political Agency in Kuwait), but it also contains a limited amount of correspondence the Ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, on whose behalf the British acted during the negotiations with Saudi Arabia that led to the agreements being signed.

In addition to correspondence, the file contains several copies of the proposed agreements between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as follows:

• 'Trade Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom (acting on behalf of His Highness the Sheikh of Koweit) and the Government of Saudi Arabia Jedda, 20th April, 1942 [Ratifications exchanged at Jedda, 1st May, 1943]' in English and Arabic (folios 3-6)
• 'Agreement for the Extradition of Offenders between the Government of the United Kingdom (acting on behalf ofHis Highness the Sheikh of Koweit) and the Government of Saudi Arabia [With Exchange of Notes relating to Smuggling Offences] Jedda, 20th April, 1942 [Ratifications exchanged at Jedda, 1st May, 1943]' in English and Arabic (folios 7-11)
• 'Agreement for the Extradition of Offenders between the Government of the United Kingdom (acting on behalf ofHis Highness the Sheikh of Koweit) and the Government of Saudi Arabia [With Exchange of Notes relating to Smuggling Offences] Jedda, 20th April, 1942' (folios 16-17)
• 'Trade Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom (acting on behalf of His Highness the Sheikh of Koweit) and the Government of Saudi Arabia Jedda, 20th April, 1942' (folios 18-19)
• 'Agreement for Friendship and Neighbourly Relations between the Government of the United Kingdom (acting on behalf of His Highness the Sheikh of Koweit) and the Government of Saudi Arabia [With Schedule and Exchange of Notes containing Lists of Tribes], Jedda, April 20, 1942' (folios 20-21).

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.