PEACE IN THE DESERT

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17993, 11 April 1930, Page 6

PEACE IN THE DESERT

After a month of shy hesitation the long-promised formal mdeting 'between King Feisal of Iraq and King Abdulaziz of Nejd, two hereditary rivals, has taken place aboard HALS. Lupin, with most satisfactory results. A few hours of conference have been sufficient to produce an agreement by virtue of which diplomatic representatives will -be exchanged, a permanent frontier commission established, and, -most important of all, the vexed problem of police posts on the desert frontier regulated, The agreement reflects the Arabian King’s' desire to establish a modern State# an cl to undertake its responsibilities. Thus he has promised to indemnify Iraq for the Wahabi raids which have pillaged her territory, and his acceptance of police posts in the desert shows his desire to put down raiding by " insubordinate tribesmen against whom he has just completed a successful campaign. King Abdulaziz cannot be master of his own house unless King Feisul is equally sovereign in his; otherwise raiding tribes will be able to move in safety backwards and forwards across the invisable frontier line. This extremely welcome though rather tardy acquiescence in the frontier posts makes Britain’s task in Iraq appreciably lighter. In two years’ time she has to secure for Iraq admission to the League of Nations, which, of course, implies the .abolition of the mandate and the coming of complete independence. The one serious difficulty in the way of independence has always been defence. ■ If Britain were to withdraw her forces without solving this problem Iraq might enjoy a short-lived legal sovereignty, but very soon the rich Mesopotamian plain would discover a harsher yoke than the British- in the depredations of the •hard fighters of the desert. If this present agreement proves lasting the path to fully independent nationhood will be considerably smoothed.