'Historical Summary of Events in the Persian Gulf Shaikhdoms and the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, 1928-1953' [‎26v] (57/222)

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40
i w in 1QS1 the Persian Government
raised again in the Majlis six months later m • ^ States where they were
protested to the United Nations and to a^ Conventlon i n Motor Traffic of
represented at the extension of the , n C | t0 t i le Secretary -General of -
1926 to BahrainC 70 ). The facts were ex P la '" ed h ' t 0 ica | ly denied.! 1 ") They also
United Nations and the J o'Leaiise their Charge d'Affaires in Bagdaa
complained to the Government of lnd . Embassy in Teheran,
visited Bahrain instead of a representative from their > ^ ^
88. In April 1952 the Persians protested aoou ^ accept the protest
BahrainC") (paragraph 22 above). u er Majesty's Government in the past
The Persians wrote further to the effe . r g a hrain and a reply was sent
had frequently acknowledged their sovereig y ^ p ersians protested to the
emphatically denying this. u M h ? v s X Iraa i Regent and Prime Minister to
Iraqi Government about a visit paid by th ® f ^ q rn f, late there.! 1 ") and wrote to
Bahrain and an alleged proposal to ^en an Iraq proposed flights by
the United States Embassy advising them with reieren £ were no t
Jibouti Air Lines calling at Zahidan two places as they were
entitled to transport passengers, cargo and ma p ersian Government's notes
both integral parts of P ersi a;< ' ^' 5 S ent to those addressed to Her Majesty s
referred to above together with th e , it d Na tions and circulated to the
Legation in Teheran were forwarded to the • , to the Un it e d Nations also
members. The Representative o c Majesty's Government wished
wrote to the Secretary-General to effect taat Her ma^^ in the no t e to the
to make it clear that they did n ° t accept B a h ra i n formed an integral
Unl t ,e<1 ( ,?^ b ^ S V^the P^s^n^omuT-Generid a^ Geneva raised with the
part of Persi .( ea^ue of Red Cross Societies the question of the British
Secretary-General of the Lea ^V R a hrain( 176 ) (paragraph 147 below), and the
Red Cross Society's mterven^ in grainy (parag P rganisation at Geneva
hea ^ violently 3 regarding a proposal that the Organisation's aid for Bahrain
(paragraph^ bdow) should be placed under British supervision.! ' )
R9 According to the 1950 census there were 6,934 Persian subjects residing
in Rahraiif but the number of actual Persians is greatly in excess of this as many o
in Bamain, dui nun 011 Kwtc in 1Q48 the Financial Adviser intimated that
them have e^omeBatoain subjects. reported that the Sunnis
there w f r t ® a ^ o ^J 0 '°f th e™hier and more important part of the community,
amongs. e'. Persian claim but that many of the Shiahs undoubtedlv
^mmirted it Tliey do not however advertise their sympathy and are generally
supported i. The Dresent R u ier and his father before him have never
nersecuted the Persians, which may have been in part due to the fact that until 1953
thev were under British jurisdiction, but have been alarmed at their large numbers
and have enacted legislation to prevent them acquiring property unless they became
Bahrain subjects (paragraph 23 above) and to limit further immigration In 95
the Ruler refused to allow any more Persians to become Bahrain subjects. In 195
imt when the trouble at Abadan was starting five Persian naval cadets arrived at
Bahrain for training in one of His Majesty's ships. The Ruler protested strongly
and the cadets were at once removed from Bahrain.
90 There is continuous trade across the Gulf between Bahrain and Persia,
most of it illicit so far as the latter country is concerned. Bahrain is almost entirely
dependent on Persia at present for the supply of meat, which is imported on the
hoof and has in the past been allowed a quota of sugar above her normal
requirements to give in exchange for this and other imports. Bahrain vessels are
sometimes interfered with by the Persian authorities while engaged in trade on the
Persian coast and two motor dhows were seized by them at the end of 1952. Usually
the Persian officials are bribed to connive at the continual smuggling which goes on.
r 17tr » U K Del to the U.N. to F.O. 16033/6/51 P of July 26, 1951 (EA 1081/46 of 1951).
UK Del to the F.O. 10363/9/51 P of August 31, 1951 (EA 1081/54 of 1951).
Teheran to F.O. Despatch 105 of April 21, 1952 (EA 1083/6 of 1952).
(nsi Teheran to F.O. Despatch 146 of May 12, 1952 (EA 1083/16 of 1952).
("*) UK Del to U.N. 10633/12/52 P of June 2, 1952 (EA 1083/28 of 1952).
m U.K. Del. to U.N. 10633/30/52 P of July 12, 1952 (EA 1083/36 of 1952).
( 176 ) British Red Cross Society to F.O. U.n. of June 5 (EA 1721/3 of 1953).
T 77 ) American Emb., London, to F.O. U.n. of June 22. 1953 (EA 1799/1 of 1953).
O C.R O. to F.O. Ext. 902/48 (E 4299/327/91 of 1948)