"F-82 82/27 I: نفط قطر" [و‎‎٣‎٠‎٧] (٧٣٠/٦٤٠)

10.
the negotiations with the Shaikh ana that Iviajor Holmes,
who would bs uselul on account ol his local knowledge
and Influence with the Sheikh, would merely assist. He
would de well looked after dy the A.P.O.C.
representative and in any case the alternative to
Major Holmes would he an American.
Mr. Laitnwalte said that it would be necessary
to consider this Question separately, it would, he
thought, be desirable that all negotiations at Kowelt
should be conducted solely through the Political Agent.
This procedure had now been laid down In Bahrein in
the negotiations between the Bahrein Petroleum Company
and the Anglo-Persian Oil Company on the one hand and
the sheikh of Bahrein on the other. Mr. Fraser said
that he hoped this procedure would not be insisted
upon in Qatar and Kowelt. Indeed he thought that under
these conditions the sheikh of Koweit would refuse to
negotiate for a concession at all. The A.P.O.C. would
of course gladly keep the political authorities fully
In touch with what was going on. Mr. Lalthwaite said
that there was no Political Agent at Qatar and that so
long as this was the case there could be no objection
to direct negotiations between the A.PtO.G. .and the
Sheikh, but he reminded Mr. Fraser that this would
also apply to any competitor who appeared in Qatar,
ana that we coula not discriminate in favour of the
A.P.O.C. In Kowelt, where there was a Political Agent,
the position was different and he did not see that
American Interests could object so long as we did not
u ibcrlminate against them. Direct negotiations ml^ht
lead to serious difficulty on certain points. He
reminded Mr.-Praser that the Sheikh was not able to
grant/