'File 8/28 MUSCAT STATE AFFAIRS: SIR SAIYID SAEED BIN TAIMUR – QUESTION OF TITLE & LETTERS AFTER SULTAN'S NAME: BI-CENTINARY CELEBRATIONS & ISSUE OF STAMPS' [‎173r] (345/478)

SECRET
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D.O.No,S*207y•
Th« 13th D«c«mb#r, 1944,
Up d«ar Sir G#offr«y,
with rwfwrencw to my rwcwnt visit to Salalah
I am writing to inform you of tha Sultan's attituda in
ganaral, and to raport hriafly convarsations which ara of
intarast from tha point of viaw of our ralations*
2. Tha Sultan racaivad ma in a vary friandly
manner iwhich attituda ha maintainad), and racallad old
associations.. Ha took tha troubla to search out and give
ma a copy of a photograph ha had taken of a shooting^
competition in which we both took part in Muscat in 1939.
Ha invited me to dinner and lunch, and took ma out
gazelle shooting and to Maznura where he gave me tea. Ha
also put £ car at my disposal. Tha proposed duck shoot
fall through.
3. On one occasion during conversation ha told
ma that ha had racaivad complaints about tha sale and
distribution of cloth which, ha said, was causing unrest.
Ha said that ha would be vary grateful if I would look
into tha matter for him.
4.
At another time ha told ma that Saiyid
Shahab, tha Minister for External Affairs, was pressing
to be permitted to make a personal raport. Tha Sultan
was averse to a visit, and asked me if I knew what tha
troubla was. X said that 1 did not, but imagined that it
was connected with tha high Price Relief Fund v&ich I
knew needed adjustment. His Highness decided to write
a latter to Saiyid Shahab, and asked me if I would arrange
for an air passage for him if ha asked ma later on. Tha
Sultan thought, however, that his latter would close tha
matter.
5. The Sultan told ma how difficult it was for
him to organise a satisfactory form of Government for
Muscat while ha was in Dhofar. Ha said that whan ha was
present in Muscat ha co-ordinated tha various departments,
but in his absence they all worked independently. The
Sultan seems to be giving considerable thought to Muscat,
and was mere frank than I could have expected.
6. The Sultan made no suggestion of the
independence of his State and usad the term ' agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. * in
conversation and not 'consulate* as, I believe, he often
does. M[y general impression is that he would welcome
close co-operation between himself and the 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. .
Yours sincerely,
a
The Hon'ble Sir Geoffrey Prior,
K.«C«X.E. ,
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. ,
Bushire.