'ARBITRATION CONCERNING BURAIMI AND THE COMMON FRONTIER BETWEEN ABU DHABI AND SA'ŪDI ARABIA' [With maps]

Content

This volume relates to the arbitration concerning Buraimi [Al Buraymī] and the common frontier between Abu Dhabi and Sa'ūdi Arabia. The main body of text is a publication, which is introduced as being a '[M]emorial submitted by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. The memorial, which was submitted to the arbitration tribunal, begins with an introduction and a copy of the Arbitration Agreement, concluded at Jedda [Jeddah] on 30 July 1954 and titled as follows: 'Arbitration Agreement Between the Government of the United Kingdom (Acting on Behalf of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi and His Highness Sultan Said bin Taimur) and the Government of Saudi Arabia' (ff 8-10). The memorial itself is divided into two halves: vol I and vol II. Vol I (ff 10-83) provides an overview of the dispute, which is structured as follows:

• 'Part I: The Nature of the Dispute Submitted to the Tribunal' (ff 10-14)
• 'Part II: Topographical Description of the Two Areas in Dispute' (ff 14-17)
• 'Part III: Historical Bases of the Claims of the Rulers of Abu Dhabi and the Sultan of Muscat to the Areas in Dispute' (ff 18-30)
• 'Part IV: The Economy of the Disputed Areas' (ff 30-32)
• 'Part V: The Tribes' (ff 33-39)
• 'Part VI: The Exercise of Jurisdiction' (ff 40-44)
• 'Part VII: Sa'ūdi Pretensions to an Ancestral Claim to Territories in Eastern Arabia' (ff 44-46)
• 'Part VIII: Revival of the Sa'ūdi Dynasty After 1900, and the Subsequent Development of the Dispute' (ff 47-62)
• 'Part IX: The Contentions of the Government of the United Kingdom in Regard to the Burden of Proof…' (ff 62-64)
• 'Part X: The Contentions of the Government of the United Kingdom in Regard to the Factors Mentioned in Article IV of the Arbitration Agreement' (ff 65-83)
• 'Part XI: Final Submissions of the Government of the United Kingdom Acting on Behalf of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi and His Highness the Sultān Sa‘īd bin Taymūr' (f 83v).

Vol II of the memorial (ff 84-254) is formed of thirteen annexes, which include the following: copies of texts of relevant treaties and engagements; copies of British documents relating to the history of Abu Dhabi and of the Buraimi Zone; copies of correspondence and documents relating to the development of the dispute; information about Līwa and the Buraimi Oasis; evidence concerning the exercise of jurisdiction by the Ruler of Abu Dhabi over the coast of the disputed area and the adjacent islands; notes on various tribes based in the disputed area; genealogical tables of the Rulers of Abu Dhabi, Muscat and 'Omān, and Najd.

The volume concludes with a series of maps (some of which are photocopies and are reduced in size), relating to the disputed area (ff 256-264). It should be noted that Map B is not present. However, included with the other maps is a gazetteer of place names (ff 265-268), in which each place name is given map co-ordinates, presumably referring to positions on the missing Map B. Written in pencil on the first page is the following note: 'Evaluates Map B'.

In addition, a small sketch map of Arabia appears at the beginning of the volume (f 4).

The Arabic material consists of some text in a couple of the maps found at the rear of the volume.

Extent and format

1 volume (267 folios)

It is grouped into

‘Sketch Map of ARABIA’

1 image

Ref: B.S. 14/371, f 4v

'MAP "A" – A general map of the Trucial Coast showing the disputed area.'

2 images

Ref: B.S. 14/371, f 256

'PHYSICAL POLITICAL MAP: THE ARABIAN PENINSULA'

3 images

Ref: B.S. 14/371, f 257

'Map C.2. The Map from Amin ar Raihani's book Ta‘rīkh Najd wa Mulhaqatihi (History of Najd and its Dependencies)'

2 images

Ref: B.S. 14/371, f 258

'Map C.3.'

2 images

Ref: B.S. 14/371, f 259

'Map C.4. CONTROL OF OIL CONCESSIONS IN THE NEAR EAST'

2 images

Ref: B.S. 14/371, f 260

'MAP "C 5" – Map prepared by ARAMCO for their "Summary of Middle East Oil Development," 1948.'

2 images

Ref: B.S. 14/371, f 261

'MAP "D" – The settlements in the Liwa Oasis.'

2 images

Ref: B.S. 14/371, f 262

'MAP "E" – The Dhafrah, Liwa and Buraimi.'

2 images

Ref: B.S. 14/371, f 263

'MAP "F" – Buraimi.'

2 images

Ref: B.S. 14/371, f 264

Arrangement

The main body of text is formed of two halves. The first half (vol I) consists of nine parts, most of which are divided into sections. The second half (vol II) is composed of thirteen annexes. Both halves are preceded by a table of contents.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio, which is contained within a pouch attached to the inside back cover, with 268; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in

English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: Printed Collections

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

B.S. 14/371

History of this record

Date(s)

1940s-1955 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Boundary disputesTreatiesArbitrationTerritorial disputes

Places

Buraimi

People & organisations

Sultan of Muscat and OmanEmir of Abu DhabiGovernment of Saudi Arabia

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'ARBITRATION CONCERNING BURAIMI AND THE COMMON FRONTIER BETWEEN ABU DHABI AND SA'ŪDI ARABIA' [With maps], British Library: Printed Collections, B.S. 14/371, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100075749012.0x000001> [accessed 3 July 2024]

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