مجموعة ٢/٥٤ "لجنة الشرق الأوسط (الرسمية): مجموعة العمل" [ظ‎‎١‎٥‎٩] (٦٤٢/٣١٨)

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Middle East oil development. His Majesty 1 s Government particularly
so in view of its controlling shareholding in the Anglo-Iranr^i
Oil Company, Both governments have been anxious to ensure an
increasing flow of production from the Middle East, the British
because such imports represent a dollar saving and the Americans
because the increase in the domestic demand of the U.S.A. has
changed that country from a net exporter to a net importer.
4« With regard to oil concessions and production, there has been
in recent years increasing infiltration of American interests,
independently and in co-operation with British companies. Details
of these activities will be found in the various chapters dealing
with countries separately. Oil development in the tv;o main
producing countries, Iran and Saudi Arabia, continues to be
undertaken independently, respectively by British and American
concessionaires which latter also hold the concession on Bahrein
Island. The oilfield in Kuwait State, which has become next in
importance as a producer, is being developed by a company, owned
in equal shares by British and American concerns. In Iraq, the
other major oil producing country in the Middle East, apart from
a small area conceded to a British company, the oil concessions are
held by an international undertaking comprising British, American,
French and Dutch interests. The concession for Qatar, which is
still in the early stages of development, is held by the same
combine. The oilfields in Egypt are being developed by British
and American companies.
5. The development of oil resources by British and United States
companies has had a significant effect on the economies of the
countries concerned. In most of the states the rentals, royalties
and other payments provide the largest item of the governmental
revenues. In 1948 no less than £24.9 millions were paid in
royalties to these Governments and with negotiations in progress
/for