'الملف 10/3 IV الامتياز النفطي بقطر' [و‎‎٨‎٩] (٥٣٤/٢٠٦)

4.
groups "being allowed to take up any concession without the
others participating. They might complain vigorously
about its terms "but they would come in nevertheless.
Mr. Starling and Mr. Seal suggested that this might
be a reason for insisting on U .K. registration in
spite of the taxation difficulties and Mr. Rendel
explained that since any conditions imposed in the
Government Agreement must be of universal application,
H.M.G. could not make them easier for the A.P.O.C. - I.P.O.
than for example a purely American Company, Mr. Hearn
and Mr. Agnow said that if H .M .G. made things difficult
for foreigners in British territory, British Oil Companies
would be faced with retaliation in foreign territory
and referred to their present negotiations with the
Syrian Government, but Mr. Rendel pointed out that there
was no analogy between the mandated territory of Syria
and the independent Sheikhdom of Qatar which was not
British territory and where there were special difficulties
in regard to protection of foreigners. It was finally
agreed, however, that in view of the taxation di..iicul cj,
the registration of subsidiary Companies in the united
Kingdom might be dispensed with but thau any subsiaid-ry
should be registered in the British Empire and that
its chairman should at all times be a British subject.
Articles 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the draft Agreement were
acceptable to the Oil Companies. Mr. Walton explained
with reference to Article 4 that it was possible that
H.M.G. might decide to designate the Political A^ent,
Bahrein as Political Agent also in Qatar and Article 4
as drafted would cover this though in so far as the P. A.
might/