"ملف 13/1 I مطار في البحرين" [و‎‎١‎٦] (٣٢٣/٤١)

IG
no idea of benefitting the State and that unless they could hold
out some quid pro quo it would b. very difficult to ailow this
as a «i»WreiP of the highest importance was involved. As you know
the State lives by its customs and once we give Imperial Airways
this concession the R.A.F would immediately dejuand it .to say
nothing of other air lines operating round the Arabian coast.
There are also other considerations which i will ^oint out on
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my arrival.
article 10. This exempts goods in transit through
Bahrain from customs and transit duties, .^t present a-.l goods
in transit ^ay 2^ transit dues. I thin*: however,that the State
wouxd at,ree to waive this as tiiCy could hardly expect ewtUzln
articles destined for India and Australia to ^ay transit ^uty.
and
It will.howcver/be a concession la Im erial Airways will have
to realise this.
Article 15.concerning other air companies. This
section requires some study. Incidentally I learnt from a
chance remark of the Air Commodore that the Air Ministry might
oppose any other air line using this route. This point is
interesting. Here again the poipt of customs will have to be
considered.
Article 16. A free aerodrome in J^uharraq on account
of the ^reat benefits the Company confer on Bahrain. One might
As
equally reply that Bahrain is conferring tfce great benefit on
the Company by allowing it to come there and so far as I
reinember the Adviser is o. posed to a free aeroarome in Luharraq.
it will be remembered that the R.A.F ori^ina^ly i anted a free
aeroarome in Manama. In fact I may say everybody .ho has any-
Uiing to do with Bahrain,from Bin Saud ao^nards,wants to be on
the iree list,a fact vhich causes Belgrave much embarrassment.
Unless I hear to the contrary from you I will assume
taiat this agreement maj/ be discussed on my arrival in Bushire.
t will be noticed that there is no mention of the agency
throughout the agreement or any provision for arbitration by
the j olitical Resident. i would suggest however, that the
Agency kee^s out of these activities as far as possible.