"ملف ٦/٤ II الحدود الكويتية-العراقية" [و‎‎١‎٥‎٧] (٤٤٠/٣١٣)

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the 26th November 1947
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Please refer to correspondence ending with Galloway's
demi-official letter No*1726-S dated the 4th October, 1947, to
Harrison on the subject of the Kuwait-Iraq frontier.
2. I have heard fro* Tandy that he agrees with Galloway's
views. ^
3. 'My own view is that we should not at present lightly
surrender any territory in the vicinity of Umm Qasr even though
only a few square miles of desert are concerned. If any port is
constructed at Umm Qasr - I have no information whether the Iraqi
Government are still keen on this project - it will certainly
assist matters if Kuwait has some say in the proceedings as will
have to be the case if it is necessary for some of the pert build
ings to be constructed in her territory. Further the oil potent
ialities of this region are not known and this is an additional
reason for not surrendering any territory though I should not
attach very great Importance to it if there were no prospect of
Umm Qasr's ever being developed as a port.
4. I do not know whether it is in my province to express
any opinion about tactics in this case but I would suggest that
arbitration should only be resorted to if no other course appears
possible. I presume that in any case the Iraqi Government will be
asked in the first place whether they are willing to take up the
question of demarcation now, and that before even this is done the
Shaikh of Kuwait will be consulted. I would suggest that if the
Iraqi Government reply in the affirmative we should present them
with a reasonably-large scale map showing them the line we claim
on behalf of Kuwait under the definition of the frontier as re
affirmed by the Prime Minister for Iraq in his letter No.2944,
dated the 21st July 1932, to the High Commissioner for Iraq vide
Annexure No.VIII to Wakefield's note a copy of which was forwarded
with my letter No.181-3 of 20th December, 1941. Whether this
definition should be interpreted as proposed by Wakefield in his
note or by me in my letter No.C-78 dated the 10th March, 1942, or
in some other manner will first have to be decided. If the Iraqi G
Government then propose the 1940 or some other line we can presumable
argue with them and should I think in any case consult the Shaikh
of Kuwait before proposing arbitration.
Sd/- W.R, Hay.
£.P. Donaldson, Esquire. C.M.G..
Commonwealth Relations Office
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