'File 10/3 IV Qatar Oil Concession' [‎18r] (56/534)

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3.
(i) While of course no attempt would be made to set up
any physical "barrier at the frontier^ the threat of
the pressure which, in various forms, His Majesty's
Government could apply against Ibn Saud would deter
him from openly launching a large scale attack on - •
Qatar. It is probable that it is against this
contingency that the Sheikh of Qatar would most value
an undertaking on our part, and the Council consider
that in normal circumstances it should be possible
to implement a guarantee to this effect.
(ii) Given an adequate air intelligence organisation, it is
probable that sufficient warning of anything in the
nature of a large scale tribal invasion would be
received in time to permit of British ITaval and Air
forces being moved up to take action to disperse it
and to strengthen the local defence.
(iii) It would not be practicable to prevent raids on a
smaller scale by highly mobile raiding parties
which might number a few hundreds.
7. She Council consider that any guarantee given should
be subject to the following safeguards;-
(i) Unprovoked Aggression
It must be made clear that His Majesty 1 s Government
could not permit themselves to be drawn into
intervention owing to lack of proper control by the
Sheikh over his own tribesmen or by the adoption of
provocative action on his own part on the presumption
of support from His Majesty's Government. He must
be prepared to follow the advice of His Majesty 1 s
Government in his attitude towards his neighbours.
(ii) Local Protection
For defence against minor raids the Sheikh should
provide the necessary local defence forces and forts
or other works necessary himself. It may be presumed
however that he already does this in his own
interests in the normal course. Care, however, will
be necessary to ensure that as a result of
receiving any promise of support from ourselves he
does not relax these protective measures.
(iii) Boundarie s
0?he Council understand that the boundaries of Qatar
are not as yet defined and consider that it mil be
important to define the boundaries to v/hich the
assurance of protection is in fact to apply.
(iv) means of implementing; the commitment
From the air standpoint it is essential (a) that
aircraft should be free to fly over Qatar in order
that pilots may be familiar with the country; and
(b) that when itmls necessary to take air action
the aircraft shall be free to attack those objectives
most likely to give the required results and shall
not tie confined within the boundaries of the Sheikh's
territories.
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