مجموعة ٣٠/٩٠ "المطالبة الفارسية بجزيرة البحرين" [ظ‎‎٤‎٩‎١] (١٠٦٢/٩٩٥)

36
t* 'm i
A itch., XI,
No. vii.
227-9.
26.11.1927.
P. 5559/27.
P.
Undertakings secured from Ibn Saud in Treaty uf Jed.aa,
1927. Persian Protest.
138 The Treaty of Jedda, concluded on 20th May 1927,
between His Majesty’s Government and Ibn Sand, the ruler
of Saudi Arabia, in substitution for the Treaty of 19 •
fnaraoraph 133 above), provided inter aha mat Bis
Majesty ^he King of the Hedjaz and of isejd and its
Dependencies” should “maintain friendly and peaceful
relations with the territories of . . • Bahrein and with 11
Sheikhs of Qatar and the Oman Coast who are m specif
treaty relations with His Britannic Majesty s Government.
Consequent thereon, a strong protest was received on
26th November 1927 from the Persian Government, copies
of which were despatched to the League of .Nations, lie
Persian protest was based essentially on the recognition
stated to have been accorded to Persian sovereignty over
Bahrein in Lord Clarendons Lote ol 29th April 1869
(paragraph 85 above). A reasoned reply to the 1 ersian
Note was despatched by His Majesty’s Government on
18th January 1928, and circulated to the League. _ While
avoiding any definite statement as to theii ov r n position in
Bahrein or its basis, His Majesty’s Government m their Note
repudiated the Persian claim in the strongest terms, and
intimated that no argument such as was suggested could be
based on the communication of 29th April 1869.
Attitude of Sheikhs to Persian claim (1928).
139. The Sheikhs of Bahrein, on being apprised of the
revival of Persia’s claim, gave a letter to the Political
Resident, requesting His Majesty’s Government in accordance
P 1409/28. with their treaties “ to defend Bahrein from outside inter
ference ” and to act as their agents in rebutting the Persian
claims, and intimating that the Sheikhs proposed to send
Sheikh Mohamed, brother of Sheikh Hamad, the deputy
ruler, and son of the deposed ruler, Isa, as their representative
in answering the claim should the case be taken to Geneva.
Further Persian Protest, 2nd August 1928.
140. On the 2nd August 1928 the Persian Government
P. 4184/28. communicated a lengthy and reasoned reply to the British
Note of 18th January 1928. The Note based its reiteration
of the Persian claim on the principle that territory belonging
to a sovereign State could definitely be detached from that
State only with the consent of the State in question, which had
not been given in the case of Bahrein ; and alleged that the
terms of the Foreign Office Note of 29th April 1869 were con
clusive evidence of the view then held of the rights of Persia
by His Majesty’s Government; that Bahrein had consistently
recognised Persian sovereignty, as could be proved by
documentary evidence, up to the date when the Sheikhs were
instigated to rebellion by a foreign government; that no
valid argument could be founded on the direct relations into
which the Sheikhs had entered with His Majesty’s Govern
ment, since their action had been without the approval of
their suzerain ; that the relations of Bahrein with Persia
were more highly developed than with any other independent
civilised country; that the Persian claim had been con
sistently and uninterruptedly pressed ; and finally that even
if the Treaty of 1822 was disavowed by His Majesty’s-
Government, it was material evidence of the view held by
a British officer of great experience at the time of its con
clusion, and that its disavowal by the then Shah of Persia
was not because of any doubt on his part as to the true
status of Bahrein.
P. 1640/29. 141. A reasoned reply, which examined in detail the
arguments put forward by the Persian Government and
reached the conclusion that they w r ere without substance,
was despatched and circulated to the League at the request,
of His Majesty’s Government on 18th February 1929.