"ملف 39/24 امتياز قاع البحر في قطر" [و‎‎١‎٢] (١٠٤/٢٣)

No.C/L-116
Political Agency,
Bahrain,
26th March, 1960.
Sir
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I have the honour tp acknowledge receipt of
your despatch No.l032-45/SF, dated the 14th February,
1960, and to say that I am instructed by His Excellency
the Political Resident to reply as follows:
Ihe arbitration court sitting at Doha was not
considering the claims of two oil companies to the seas
around Qatar so that there can be no question of in
forming the court as requested by His Highness. It was
constituted in accordance with the terms of the Oil Con
cession granted by the Shaikh of Qatar to the Anglo Persian
Oil Company Ltd., in order to determine a dispute between
His Excellency the Shaikh of Qatar and the Oil Company
concerning the interpretation of the terms of the Con
cession Agreement. Furthermore in accordance with uni
versal international practice His Majesty's Government
regard the high seas (i.e., the seas outside the limits
of territorial waters) as free so that no claim to such
seas lying between Bahrain and Qatar can be recognised
by His Majesty's Government. The decision of His Majesty's
Government of which His Highness was informed in my letter
No.C/1226, dated the 23rd December, 1947, referred to the
delimitation of the sea-bed lying between Bahrain and
Qatar. The only mention of the seas in that letter was
a specific disclaimer that the decision referred to them
in any way whatsoever, vide paragraph 3.
n 6
p, iojfjo~ J,
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant
u/V Political Agent
/C
The Adviser to the Government of Bahrain
Bahrain.
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