'File 8/1 Arms Traffic' [‎234r] (472/624)

INDIA OFFICE The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ;
,7168/38
V/HITEHALL, S.w.l.
0 bh N ov enib e r ? 19 38
Sir,
I am directed Dy the Secretary of State to forward
for the consideration of the Government of India, a copy
oi a letter from the Foreign Office relative to certain
conversations recently held with the Foreign Office "by
the Iraqi Minister for Foreign Affairs on the subject
of Koweit, with particular reference to the prejudice
to the security of Iraq and the loss to Iraqi revenues
stated to he caused hy smuggling of arms and of dutiable
goods generally from Koweit into Iraq.
2. On the subject of the alleged smu^glin._, of arms from
or through Koweit into Iraq the views of the Political
Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. have recently been expressed
in the correspondence resting with his demi-official
letter of the 7th October, -No. 0/744. It is clear from
this correspondence that the smuggled arms do not enter
Kov/eit by sea but come (if they enter Koweit ai all)
from Saudi Arabia. The information available to the
Royal Air Force in Iraq does not suggest that the armo
are dealt with by Koweiti middlemen, while the Political
Resident finds it difficult to understand why ams
traffickers on the way from Saudi Arabia to Iraq should
, ->-i ■R’vp'nifitis the case
enter Koweit territory at all. Even i
, _^am„ 4 a carried on by
that the alleged iluicio arms Glc ~
isolated parties passing through the desert parts ^
of Koweit on their way from Saudi Araoia -o
secretary to the
^overument of India, , ,
External Affairs Department.
1 ,