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'ARBITRATION CONCERNING BURAIMI AND THE COMMON FRONTIER BETWEEN ABU DHABI AND SA'ŪDI ARABIA' [With maps] [‎186r] (376/541)

The record is made up of 1 volume (267 folios). It was created in 1940s-1955. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: Printed Collections.

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ANNEX D, No. 34 (ii)
Record of Ninth Session of the Discussions with Sa‘udi Arabian
held at the Foreign Office, August 22 , 1951
Foreign Minister,
[Foreign Office Papers ES 1053/16]
united kingdom
Mr. R. J- Bowker
Mr. W. V. J. Evans
Mr. W. P. Cranston
PRESENT:
SAUDI ARABIA
H.R.H. the Amir Faisal
H.E. Shaikh Youssef Yassin
H.E. Shaikh Hafez Wahba
H.E. Shaikh Ibrahim al Sulaiman
H.E. Shaikh Ali Alireza
Mr. Bowker said he would like to start by referring to the Amir Faisal’s
suggestion for a conference to settle the frontier dispute.
The Amir Faisal said that his recommendation was a purely personal one
and it would be necessary for him to obtain His Majesty the King’s approval
should His Majesty’s Government agree to the suggestion.
Mr. Bowker said His Majesty’s Government welcomed the suggestion of a
conference between a representative of the Saudi Arabian Government and a
Delegation headed by the United Kingdom and with the Shaikhs concerned as
members. It was possible however that such a conference might find progress
difficult without knowing certain facts. It was for consideration therefore whether
a conference should be preceded by a Fact Finding Commission. This point could
be decided later. In the United Kingdom Delegation His Majesty’s Government’s
representative would be in the position of leader of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Shaikhs as
opposed to the separate Saudi Arabian Delegation.
The Amir Faisal said that as His Majesty’s Government had accepted his
recommendation, he would wish to submit it to King Ibn Saud for his approval.
Mr. Bowker agreed and added that the Amir Faisal might also refer the
question of the Fact Finding Commission at the same time.
The Amir Faisal then suggested that all activities in the disputed areas should
be suspended until a decision on sovereignty of the areas had been reached.
Mr. Bowker said we would agree to a status quo in the area which was held
to be in dispute last year, i.e. between the 1914 and 1938 Line and that activities
would be suspended there. Between the 1938 Line and the limit of the Saudi
Arabian recent claims we must continue normal activities.
The Amir Faisal said we should suspend all activities in all the areas now
in dispute and claimed by the Trucial Shaikhs as this was the area which Saudi
Arabia considered to be in dispute.
Mr. Bowker pointed out that His Majesty’s Government considered only the
area west of the 1938 Line to be disputed. He admitted however that in general
both sides were agreed on what activities should continue throughout all the areas.
The Amir Faisal explained that he would agree to all normal activities which
had existed during the last few years but not to any activity newly introduced
during the last year. By this he meant the police force recently established on tffi
Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .
Mr. Bowker pointed out that as this police force was for internal security and
administrative purposes only, no restriction could be placed on its activities in an
area which His Majesty’s Government did not consider to be in dispute.
The Amir Faisal then suggested there should be a status quo corresponding to
conditions as in 1946 since the Saudi Arabian Government themselves considered
that the whole of this area covered by their present claims was m dispu e.
Mr, Bowker could not admit that the Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Levies would influence
negotiations in any way as they would not be concerned with any oi t e ron
negotiations.
48109
2 d 2

About this item

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)
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
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'ARBITRATION CONCERNING BURAIMI AND THE COMMON FRONTIER BETWEEN ABU DHABI AND SA'ŪDI ARABIA' [With maps] [‎186r] (376/541), British Library: Printed Collections, B.S. 14/371, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100122625234.0x0000b1> [accessed 5 July 2024]

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