مجموعة ٣٠ /١١١ "محطات بحرية بريطانية في: إنشاءات في خور قوي والبحرين. إخلاء هنجام وباسعيدو." [و‎‎١‎٥‎٠] (١١٥٤/٣٠٤)

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Department.
P A R LI E r NOTICE.
Session
Date,
Initials.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Under Secretary
n
Parliamentary Under Secre-
Question OmM
tary.
Secretary of State
For ' IPrafouJ? 1935 '
# 7. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Arnold Wilson, — To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, whether British sovereignty, which has been maintained over a portion of
Basinu island, in the Persian Grulf, for over a hundred years, has now been formally
abandoned; and, if so, what, if any, steps have been taken to safeguard the British
cemetery at Basidu, wherein many British seamen of all ranks have been buried during
the past century. [Monday 8th April.]
3345
PERSIAN GULF (BRITISH
INTERESTS).
WJI COK,*' ‘ Co,onel Sir ARNOLD
ILMJN asked the Secretary of State
tor Foreign Affairs whether British
sovereignty, which has been maintained
over a portion of Basidu island, in the
Persian Gulf, for over a hundred years,
Pas now been formally abandoned ; and,
i so, what, if any, steps have been taken
o safeguard the British cemetery at
nasidu wherein many British seamen of
a t-anks have been buried during the
past century ?
secre TARY of STATE for
REIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon):
o regular use of the station at Basidu
on the Persian island of Qishm, by His
1 . a l es ty s ships has been discontinued
smce 1911. The local climatic conditions
aie unhealthy and the place was not
n ish territory. His Majesty’s Govern-
rnmt recently decided that British in-
eiests in the Persian Gulf would best
e served by the transfer of the station
° j ahrain 011 Arab side of the Gulf;
m accordance with this decision, the
s ation at Basidu is now being evacuated,
-angements are under discussion with
o Persian Government for the proper
sa eguarding of the British cemetery at
Uasidu.
Sir A. WILSON : Is it not the fact that
or more than 100 years the British flag
ias been flown there and that repeatedly
l a ? * I ^ en ^ s have been made that it is
la ^ territory; and has that position
fro been pointed out frequently to the
i ersian Government 1
J. SIMON: I think the terms of
original answer show that the place
. as n °t been regarded as British terri
tory.
LEPLY.
COMMONS
Oral Answers
776
Sir A. WILSON: Why should news of
the abandonment of a British naval
station reach us from Delhi, instead of
by an announcement from His Majesty’s
Government to this House, especially
having regard to the very ancient con
nection which exists in this case as the
right hon. Gentleman has already ex
plained ?
Sir J. SIMON: I cannot answer that
question. I did not know that the
announcement had reached the hon. Gen
tleman from Delhi.
Sir A. WILSON: In view of the very
unsatisfactory reply of the right hon.
Gentleman and the importance of the
issue involved, I beg to give notice that
I shall raise this question at the earliest
opportunity on the Adjournment.
10 Sir A. WILSON asked the Secre
tary of State for Foreign Affairs whether
the Persian Government have now finally
abandoned their claim to sovereignty
over the islands of Bahrain .
Sir J SIMON: The Persian claim to
the islands of Bahrain, whi<* ^ r ®'
ouently been advanced m the P ast . “ s
Int so far as I am aware, been aban-
not revardT and have never regarded that
claim 7s possessing any validity whatdve_
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