"ملف 39/23 II مفاوضات للتنقيب عن النفط في قاع البحر في البحرين والساحل المتصالح وقطر" [و‎‎٣] (١٣٨/٥)

POLITICAL AGENCY,
BAHRAIN,
Dated 11th June, 1949
S.O.No.C/R-^O-
Dear Sir Rupert,
Sir Hugh Weightnan arrived this afternoon
accompanied by Mr, Allen and Sa]eh al Mani* of Qatar.
He informed that he had obtained the attached conditional
concession from the Ruler of Qatar. His efforts in Abu
Dhabi have sc far been unsuccessful.
2 . I have read through the concession and cannot find
anything to which we might have exception. My comments
are as follows:
(a) Article 2 contains a declaration that the
Shaikh regards the sea-bed beyond the three-mile limit
as lying outside his existing concession. It also pro
vides for arbitration under the P.C.L. concession if
necessary.
(b) Article 3 makes clear that the new concession
does not include territorial waters.
(c) Article 10. Sir Hugh Weightman informs me
that in his view the only way in which his Company* s
activities could be harmful to P.C.L. (see paragraph 3 of
Foreign Office telegram No.297 of 21st May) would be if
their installations on the shore interfered with P.C.L*s
welfare. He does not consider that there could be any
possibility of his own Company*s installations interfering
with navigation and in any case he considers that such
interference would be objectionable to His Majesty's
Government also. He has therefore restricted himself to
the provisions of Article 10. You may see him to rephras
this slightly to give the guarantee of non-interference
somewhat wider scope.
(d)
His Excellency Sir Rupert Hay, KCIE, CSI, > ■: ,1 f
Political Resident, Persian Gulf,
BAHRAIN.