Page 59 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

Regional relations, 1926-1931 361

principle that tho issue of a law on Nationality was a
matter for his sovereign rights, It seemed test therefore
to see how far tho Hejazi Goverrment were prepared to go by
amendments in tho law of 1926.without officially admitting
tho right of His Majesty's Government to intervene.
3. When Sheikh Yussuf Yasin referred to Mr.Bird's
memorandum at the outset of our conversation on February 4th,
I reminded him that it had been an unofficial paper and
explained the procedure which your predocessor had in view at

that time, but I did not press the matter, I went on to say
that I had myself been led to consider points not raised in
that memorandum and that, while those points did not bear on
the form of the law, thoy might affect our appreciation of
it. I raised the question whether the law was intended to
apply to all the King's dominions, The Sheikh seemed a
little surprised but said that in his view it was of general
application and not confined to tho Hejaz as might appear
from the title. Having elicited this, I did not stress the
point further, as I did not wish to mention Asir.

4. I explained that, if the law did apply throughout
the King's dominions, it would have a bearing on questions
which concerned us, such as that of Bahrain subjects in Hasa
and Hadramis in the Ilejaz. Later on the Sheikh hinted that
the question of the Bahrainis would come into Persian Gulf
negotiations. This is my ovm view and I assented generally.
I did not pursue the question of Hadramis, as it was one which
I have not fully studied. I also kept off Iraqis, except

for expressing a smiling hope that before long any matters
affecting them would be dealt with by an Iraqi representative.
5. I referred also to the question of Ikhtilaf-ud-Dar
(See ray despatch No.188 of July 24th last). Citing the
oase of Osman Holcim as on illustration, I said there were
oases in whioh a British subject might have so identified !
himself with this oountry, without ooasing to be British,
that/