"ملف ٥ /١ VI شركة نفط الكويت" [و‎‎١‎٤‎٢] (٦٢٠/٢٨٨)

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Iredeived under India Office endorsement No.P.Z.439.)
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P.Z.439/33.
30th January 1933.
IMPORTANT.
Sir,
In reply to your letter of the 21st January, No.18119/33,
on the subject of the Kuwait oil concession, I am directed by
the Secretary of State for India to say that, as Sir Philip
Gunliffe-Lister is aware, he has throughout been of opinion that
it would be preferable if possible to postpone discussion of the
details of the concession to be negotiated with the Shaikh of
Kuwait by the successful competitoi > for the Kuwait concession
until Kis Excellency has taken a definite decision in fvaour of
one or other of the competing companies on a broad view of the
financial and other major considerations involved. Once such
a decision has been taken, it could be followed by detailed
negotiations, with which the local representatives of His
Majesty’s Government could be closely associated and in the
course of which steps could be taken to advise the Shaikh as to
the points which it was desirable to cover either in his own
interest or in that of His Majesty’s Government. Subject to
the views of the other interested Departments, the Secretary
of State for India is inclined, therefore, to suggest chat while
conveying general approval to the course of action proposed by
Colonel Fowle in paragraph 4 of his despatch No.52, of 2?th
December 1932, Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister, if he sees no
objection, might also inform the Resident that His Majesty’s
Government are anxious that a definite decision should be taken
by the Shaikh as between the competing companies with as little
delay as possible; that he and the Political Agent, Kuwait,
should do what they can to encourage him to take such a decision f
on/
’he Under Secretary of State,
Colonial Office,