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'ARBITRATION CONCERNING BURAIMI AND THE COMMON FRONTIER BETWEEN ABU DHABI AND SA'ŪDI ARABIA' [With maps] [‎194v] (393/541)

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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220
of names of anchorages on the Abu Dhabi coast (evidently with the object of
enquiring which of them the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi would cede).
Mr. Evans suggested that Shaikh Shakhbut might be persuaded to agree to
give up a triangular inland area bounded by Abu Dhabi s claim on the west, the
Sabkhato ,Matti on the east and an inland line from Sufuk to a point on the
Qatar frontier in exchange for the surrender by King Ibn Saud of his claim to
the coast.
Shaikh Yusuf Yasin said that we should either try to reach a settlement or
follow a legal procedure in order to reach one, and Mr. Evans said that he was
agreeable to legal procedure being followed but it was preferable to try to reach
a settlement.
Shaikh Yusuf Yasin said that the hinterland was of no use without a coastline
and Mr. Felly said that the coastline was of no use without some hinterland.
Shaikh Yusuf Yasin said that we should consider the areas in the light of
the three points he had made and if proved to belong to a particular State then the
coast appertaining to the area should also go to that State.
Mr. Evans pointed out that in considering the points the evidence often
conflicts.
Shaikh Yusuf Yasin said that we should go to the areas in question and
verify the evidence.
Mr. Evans said that we could go to arbitration but wanted to reach a settle-
ment and he would be grateful if his suggestion could be put before His Royal
Highness the Amir Faisal.
Shaikh Yusuf Yasin enquired whether there was no question of a cession
of some of the coast.
Mr. Evans stated that he felt that the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi had a very
strong claim to the coast and H.M.G. had recognised it for a long period of years
and could not therefore ask him to give it up but nevertheless any counter proposal
from the Saudi Arabian Government to his suggestion would be considered.
Shaikh Yusuf Yasin enquired whether after considering Mr. Evans’ suggestion
it would be open to the Saudi Arabian Government to discuss the Sabkhat Matti
and the Dhafara.
Mr. Evans said that what he had proposed was a western boundary. We would
go on to consider the southern boundary.
Minutes of the second of the informal discussions held to discuss the Abu
Dhabi Qatar—Saudi Arabian land frontier at 6 p.m. on
the 3rd February, 1952.
The following were present: —
Mr. W. V. J. Evans.
Mr. C. J. Felly.
H.E. Shaikh Yusuf Yasin.
H.E. Shaikh Hafiz Wahba.
Shaikh Yusuf Yasin said that the offer made by Mr. Evans at the previous
meeting was very far from the Saudi Arabian Government’s idea of a settlement.
He said that the areas should be studied according to the tribes who inhabit them.
Mr. Evans said that he was ready to study the areas in this way and he
described what he understood to be the area of'the Dhafara, i.e. Bainuna, Taff,
Liwa and Qufa and the territory to the west of Liwa and south of Bainuna.
Shaikh Yusuf Yasin read from a folder a description of the Dhafara and
Mr. Evans pointed out that in view of this they seemed to be agreed on the definition
of the area.
Mr. Evans said that there are the Beni Yas and Manasir in the Dhafara and
that they both seemed to occupy the same area, in which there are settlements
some belonging to the Beni Yas and some to the Manasir, both in Liwa and to the
north of it.

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] [‎194v] (393/541), British Library: Printed Collections, B.S. 14/371, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100122625234.0x0000c2> [accessed 5 July 2024]

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