'Muscat-Omani relations' [‎2r] (11/412)

them, are apparently unaer the impression that His
I:i 0 hness may endeavour, jjerha^s with our assistance, to
regain seme of the old Kuscat control over the interior,
which, misapprehension is no bad thin fo as it vail majce them
ea^jer to conclude the confirmation of the Treaty, and to
make the lirst advances. Before leaving for Dhofar in
fact the oultan spoke to me about this very matter, and
said that he had intended to write to Shaikh Isa on the
subject, but that on further reflection had decided to let
the latter make the first step. I said that I thought
this a wise m«ve. In Arab politics it is often a case of
rien faire c f est a^jir . There should not be any difficulty
about the actual renewal therefore as both parties desire
it. The Omanis, since the Treaty was made hy the
mediation of His Majesty's G-overniuent as represented by
Mr, win^ate, will probably require some assurance that
His I'aJ t sty* s Government approve of the renewal. If I
were u iven trie necessary authority^ a letter from me to
the sultan saying that His Majesty*8 Government approved
of the renewal, which letter His Highness could show to
shaikh Isa, would probably meet the case^
4. Shaikh Saif also asked me if the late Sultan had
abdicated of his own free will, or whether he had been
pressed to do so by Government. I explained to him at
some length that far from pressing him to abdicate
Government, the present Sultan, you and myself had all
taken infinite pains to try and persuade Sir Taimur bin
ITaisal to remain on as ^ultan, both by letters and personal
interviews, but in vain. That the late sultan was a
pleasant individual, and a friend of mine, but that
frankly he was not fond of work and much preferred
travelling about India, Ceylon and Burma to performing; his
duties at Muscat.
5. Shai^da Saif is a nice old gentleman, and aft I
wished him to carry back sympathetic impressions of