فرنسا وقضايا السيادة الوطنية في الدولة السعودية المعاصرة (1925-1932 م)‎

الملخص EN

This study depends on a variety of primary resources, most importantly French documents published under (King Abdul-Aziz Ail Saud Encyclopedia, his Biography and Reign in the Foreign Documents) by Dar al Daira for Publishing & Documentation in Riyadh, 1999.

A large quantity of Arabic synopsis of the French historical documents was published by Dar al Daira for Publishing & Documentation that revolved around biography and reign of King Abdul-Aziz in five volumes (16, 17, 18, 19, and 20).

These documents are valuable because of the new and meaningful information they provide and unveil the attitudes of France regarding political events in the region and how responded to such events as revealed by the letters and telegrams exchanged between the French Foreign Ministry and its Consulate in Jeddah.

This study shows that in the period preceded conquer of Jeddah by King Abdul-Aziz, France held no large interests either commercial or political in the Arab Peninsula and their relations with the Hijaz ruler were confined to issues related to Hajj.

Against the conflict between King Hussein bin Ali and king Abdul-Aziz about the Hijaz and considering the unresolved results of the conflict, France had undertaken somewhat a neutral position.

This position latterly changed in favor of King Abdul-Aziz, especially when his forces besieged Jeddah, King Hussein gave up as ruler of Hijaz, and King Abdul-Aziz accessed into Jeddah.

In turn, the French Consul in Jeddah advised his government to declare its recognition of King Abdul-Aziz as ruler of Hijaz.

The recognition of King Abdul-Aziz as ruler of Hijaz by France in 1926 paved the way for stronger bilateral relations between both countries.

The Hijazi Citizenship Regulations, September 1926 and Hijazi Citizenship Act as amended in 1931, and the issue of royalties from the Two Holy Mosques Awkaf were disputable points between the French and Hijazi governments until finally settled after bilateral negotiations.

On the other hand, France opposed export arms to the Hijazi government as a signor party to San German Agreement 1919 banning export arms to conflict regions.

Once Britain terminated ban of arms to the Hijazi Kingdom 1926, the French Government encouraged exporting arms to Hijaz; although they refrained from selling arms on credit to the Kingdom in 1932 on the ground of violation of instructions by the French Ministry of War.