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‘File 61/31 IV (D 120) Anglo-Saudi frontier negotiations’ [137r] (286/512)
The record is made up of 1 volume (255 folios). It was created in 30 Sep 1935-24 Mar 1936. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
the independent rulers of the Arab States in South-Eastern Arabia. You should
emphasise the importance which His Majesty’s Government attach to their
historic position in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
, and the impossibility of their agreeing
to any solution which might in any way prejudice or impair that position or
injure the interests of the Arab States with whom they are in special treaty
relations.
8. At this stage you may at your discretion decide to inform King Abdul
Aziz that you are in possession of new proposals by His Majesty’s Government,
Before describing these proposals you desire, however, to make it clear why
His Majesty’s Government, after full and sympathetic enquiry into the material
facts of the situation, have not felt able to accept the boundary which the King
had himself suggested. You should then proceed to explain in detail the reasons
which prevent His Majesty’s Government from accepting the boundary proposed
in the Saudi memorandum of the 3rd April last, developing for this purpose
the relevant arguments used in discussion with Fuad Bey Hamza last summer
as set out in the records of the meetings.
9. Beginning at the northern end of the proposed Saudi line you should
point out the importance which His Majesty’s Government attach to establishing
a frontier in accordance with geographical, as well as political and tribal,
considerations. The Qatar peninsula forms a clearly defined and separate
geographical unit, and it is only reasonable that the frontier between the
Sheikhdom and its neighbours should follow the natural division between the
peninsula and the mainland. His Majesty’s Government have already expressed
readiness to depart from their strict 'legal position by recognising King Abdul
Aziz’s sovereignty as extending over the western shore of the gulf known as
the Dohat-as-Salwa and over the Ikhwan settlements at the head of the Gulf;
but they could never consent to attribute to Saudi Arabia features, such, for
example, as the Jebel Naksh, which form an integral part of the physical structure
of the Qatar Peninsula itself and have always, in fact, been an equally integral
part of the Sheikhdom. An additional factor in regard to the frontier of Qatar’
is the grant by the Sheikh to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, with the full
approval of His Majesty’s Government, of an oil concession over the
Sheikhdom of Qatar. This concession, which was granted on the 11th May
last, while not extending beyond the limits of the State of Qatar^ as claimed by
the Sheikh of Qatar and recognised as his territory by His Majesty’s Government,,
does actually extend to the south of the line claimed by King Abdul Aziz
(cf. paragraph 5 above); but the position in this respect will be already known to
His Majesty through the communication which I instructed Mr. Calvert to make
by my telegram No.Hl2 of the 20th September. Should you decide to ad\eit to' - ^*
this development, you should take the opportunity to recall the fact that
His Majesty’s Government have formally assured the Sheikh of Qatar of their
protection against any interference with his territorial rights.
10. Turning to the problem of the Khor-al-Odeid (to which Fuad Bey Hamza
attached special importance), you will explain to King Abdul Aziz that, as
Fuad Bey was informed in London, His Majesty’s Government have long
recognised officially the validity of the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi s claim to the whole
of this inlet, and have regarded his territory as extending round both the Khor-al-
Dhuwaihin and the Khor-ai-Odeid up to a line, running westwards from the
northern side of the mouth of the Khor-al-Odeid, which forms the^ boundary
between the territory of Abu Dhabi and that of Qatar. His Majesty s Govern
ment naturally cannot violate or disregard their obligations to these Arab rulers
with whom, as the King has recognised by article 6 of the Treaty of Jedda, they
have long-standing and special treaty relations. Should you consider it wise or
desirable to do so, you are authorised to develop frankly to the King a further
argument which was used with Fuad Bey Hamza in London, namely, that His
Majesty’s Government have had for many years a particularly strong interest in
the chain of Arab States on the coast between Qatar and Muscat,^ that the
maintenance of this position is an important principle of British policy in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
; and that it would be at complete variance with this policy for them
to agree that a powerful State such as Saudi Arabia should acquire a new
outlet to the sea on this section of the coast, to which neither political nor
geographical considerations entitle it.
11 Pursuing your replv to the claims put forward m the Saudi memorandum
of the 3rd April you should explain that a thorough reinvestigation of the-
[12260] B 2
About this item
- Content
The volume’s contents relate to ongoing negotiations between the British and Saudi Governments over the formal establishment of Saudi Arabia’s southern and eastern borders. The volume, which is a continuation of correspondence found in IOR/R/15/1/605, focuses on land which is covered by the Qatar Oil Concession, and is disputed by King ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd (Ibn Sa‘ūd) of Saudi Arabia and Shaikh ‘Abdullāh bin Jāsim Āl Thānī of Qatar. The volume’s principal correspondents are Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Fowle, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch, Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Bahrain, and Andrew Ryan, British Minister at Jeddah.
Contents of the volume include:
- Correspondence relating to the arrangements and outcome of a Royal Air Force (RAF) aerial reconnaissance survey, conducted in October 1935, over Qatar’s projected southern boundaries;
- A map showing the reconnaissance route (folio 74B), a number of aerial photographs (folios 75-81), and a report of the reconnaissance (folios 72-73) are included in the volume;
- The Saudi Government’s response to the signing of an oil concession between the Shaikh ‘Abdullāh and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company;
- British objections to direct communication between Ibn Sa‘ūd and Shaikh ‘Abdullāh, with the assertion that such communication contravenes treaties signed with the British Government; discussion over the extent of Abu Dhabi’s territory, including a telegrammed report, written by Loch, dated 4 November 1935, of a conversation with Shaikh Shakbut bin Sultan of Abu Dhabi over his territories (folios 92-94);
- An RAF sketch map of the Qatar Peninsula (folio 146);
- A report of a conversation in January 1936 between Loch and Shaikh ‘Abdullāh concerning Qatar’s southern boundaries, with a sketch map included (folios 190-95);
- Suggestions of an earlier agreement between Qatar and the Saudi Kingdom predating Britain’s 1916 treaty with Qatar.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (255 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest items at the front of the volume to the latest at the end. There is a set of office notes at the end of the volume (folios 235-44) that mirror the chronological arrangement. An index at the front of the volume (folio 2) lists key topics covered, with a folio number which refers to the original uncircled pencil foliation system used throughout the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: There are two incomplete foliation sequences and one complete foliation sequence. The complete sequence is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. It begins on the first folio after the front cover, on number 1A, and ends on the last folio of writing, which is f 245. The following foliation anomalies occur: ff 1A-D; ff 74A-B.
Other characteristics: The volume contains a number of photographs (folios 75-81) which are housed in transparent polyester sleeves.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘File 61/31 IV (D 120) Anglo-Saudi frontier negotiations’ [137r] (286/512), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/606, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100050152384.0x000057> [accessed 6 February 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/606
- Title
- ‘File 61/31 IV (D 120) Anglo-Saudi frontier negotiations’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 1br:1dv, 2r:26v, 29r:73v, 74ar:74av, 82r:132v, 135v:145v, 147r:151v, 157r:157v, 158v:171v, 173r:194v, 196r:249v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence