"الملف 38/3 II شركة امتيازات النفط المحدودة: امتياز قطر" [و‎‎١‎٠‎٣] (٣٣٦/٢٠٥)

Secret
(7/11/49) Persian Gulf Residency,
Bahrain,
July 25, 1949.
The Commanding Officer,
H.M.S. "Flamingo",
Jufair.
Memorandum.
I see from the intended cruise of your vessel
that you are due to visit Doha on August 2nd. I con
sider that the present situation in Qatar calls for
an earlier visit to Doha and recent reports from Wakrah,
where some advance has been made in the construction of
the navigational aid, also point to the desirability of
your putting in an early appearance there.
2. You should not land at Doha and if local repre
sentatives come aboard and invite you ashore you should
say that your instructions are not to land. Visits
should not be exchanged with the Ruler of Qatar.
3. There is not the same objection to landing at
Wakr^ i* in fact, while you should avoid any incidents,
it is desirable that you should show, in such a manner
as your discretion decides, the connexion of your visit
with the erection of the navigational aid on Jabal Wakrah.
Visits should not be exchanged with the person represent
ing himself t*^the Shaikh of Wakrah.
4. The visits would best take place immediately after
the two days of the * Id and I shall be glad to be informed
of your proposed date of arrival at both places so that
P.C.L. Company may be warned. You should not discuss
the //eightman concession with or in the presence of P.C.L.
representatives. Saleh al Mani* who is the Ruler’s
right-hand man and reliable may come aboard at Doha.
You should hear anything he has to say but as he does not
speak English you should be very guarded in any remarks
you may make through an interpreter. There would be no
objection (subject to the reference above to P.C.L.) to
your intimating, should a safe opportunity arise of doing
so, that His Majesty’s Government expect the Ruler to sign
the Weightman concession.
H.G. Jakins
Acting Political Resident,
Persian Gulf.