'File 10/3 III Qatar Oil Concession' [153r] (327/470)
The record is made up of 1 volume (223 folios). It was created in 27 Jan 1934-24 Mar 1934. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers.
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
(d) The area lying between the blue line and the houndaries recognised for Qatar
as in . a) above to oe regarded, subject to confirmation by the Resident that
no claim to them is made or could be substantiated west of Aqal by Abu
Dhabi^ as of indeterminate ownership. As it appears to be largely
inhospitable desert under Ikhwan control, save for the coastal strip of the
Barr-al-Qarah, the likelihood that oil companies will actively interest
themselves in it is probably small, if they do, on the principle that Ibn
Saud nas no mteiest east oi' the blue line, it might be necessary to consider
whether to attribute it to Qatar or Abu Dhabi (the wording of the 1913
Convention, as c^uotsd m paragraph 5 above, would assist us in claiming it
for Qatar). It would in any event be desirable, in order to prevent foreign
interests from endeavouring to establish a foothold in it, to consider in what
way it could best be made clear that we regarded it as falling within our
own sphere of influence or that of one of our Trncial allies.
{e) When once oil operations have started in Qatar, to convey a warning (if and
when circumstances should make this appear advisable) through the Sheikh of
Qatar to the migratory Bedouin tribes who use the area referred to in (d) that
in the event of their crossing, with hostile intent or save for normal peaceful
pursuits, such as grazing, such line as may be fixed as the boundary of
Qatar, they will do so at their own peril. The local political authorities
would no doubt be able to ascertain and to advise what customary rights in
respect of grazing, &c. these migratory tribes at present enjoy within Qatar
proper. On the question whether any corresponding intimation should be
made to Ibn Saud in respect of tribes permanently belonging to Nejd but
using the indeterminate area it seems definitely preferable, in the interest of
avoiding discussion with him of the position of the indeterminate area and
of the blue line, to make no communication unless and until circumstances
make this quite inevitable. The question of any communication in respect
of Nejdi tribes (if any) using Qatar territory could equally be postponed
unless and until circumstances may make it necessary to consider it.
India Office
The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors.
, J. G. L aithwaite.
26th January 1934.
[N.B. —The conclusions suggested in paragraph 19 were accepted by the Government
of India and the
Political Resident
A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency.
in their telegrams Nos. 408 of 21st February
and 244 of 27th February respectively. His Majesty's Minister at Jedda has
suggested consideration of the desirability of leaving the boundaries of Qatar
'undefined until the time comes to assert Blue Line principle" (Jedda Saving
telegram No. 8 of 14th February).]
APPENDIX.
Boundaries of Qatar.
I—Extracts from Lorimer's Gazetteer.
(i) Qatar.
{N.B.—M t. Lorimer's article on Qatar is stated to be the result of special enquiries
made over a number of years locally.)
Lorimer, Vol. II, page 1506, defines the boundaries of Qatar as follows :
" On the east, north and west, Qatar is surrounded by the sea The southern
boundarv is somewhat indeterminate. It begins at the foot of Dohat-as-balwa
on the western side of the promontory, and from that point nms south-eastwards
to the wells of Sakak: thence, according to one account, it strikes east-north
east to the north end of the Naqiyan sandhills, or, according to another, east by
south to the southern end of the same hills on the north side of the entrance to
Khor-al-'Odaid. As the territory of the Trucial Sheikh of Abu Dhabi has never
■clearly been asserted to extend beyond Khor-al-'Odaid, and as the Al-Tham
Sheikhs of Qatar undoubtedly claim the Naqiyan tract, the latter of the two
m i .i
About this item
- Content
The volume contains correspondence between the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in Bushire, the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Bahrain and the Secretary of State for India, on the Qatar oil concession, on the Southern boundary of Qatar and on the role of Ibn Saud in the negotiation.
The volume includes:
- meeting notes, copies of telegrams and letters on Qatar and Kuwait oil concessions;
- note from the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Kuwait to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. dated 23 Jan 1934 about the Qatar and Hasa Oil concessions and the Kuwait Neutral Zone (ff. 60-63);
- memorandum on the political importance of 'the maintenance of a British position on the Arab littoral of the Gulf' (ff. 71-76) and the need to offer protection to the Sheikh of Qatar in return for an 'undertaking on his part to grant a concession to the Anglo Persian Oil Company (Iraq Petroleum Company);
- correspondence between the British Air Ministry and the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. about air facilities in Qatar;
- note referring to a conversation that occurred at the end of 1922 between Sir Percy, Ibn Saud and Major Holmes regarding the southern boundaries of Qatar and the political relationship between Qatar and Saudi Arabia (f. 116C);
- memorandum from the meetings occurred on 11-12 Mar 1934 between the Sheikh Abdullah bin Qasim al-Thani and the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. re oil concession (ff. 131-140);
- copies of draft Qatar Oil Concession;
- a sketch of Qatar, ink on fabric (f. 212);
- memorandum on the frontiers of Saudi Arabia (ff. 196-199).
There is an index at the end of the volume ( folios 211-216).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (223 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers in this file are arranged in chronological order. There is an index at the end of the volume, on folios 211-216. The index is arranged chronologically and refers to documents within the volume; it gives brief description of the correspondence with a reference number, which refers back to that correspondence in the volume.
- Physical characteristics
The foliation is on top right-hand corner, starting on the first page of writing and finishing on the back cover. The numbering is in pencil, enclosed by a circle and starts with 1, then 115, 116A, 116B, 116C, then carries on until 221, which is the last number given. There is a second pagination on the top right corner, uncircled, starting on folio 22 (numbered 21) to folio 100 (numbered 99) and then from folio 116a (numbered 113) until folio 210 (numbered 207).
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/412
- Title
- 'File 10/3 III Qatar Oil Concession'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:iii-v, 1r:36r, 36r:45v, 46v, 47v:61r, 61r:63r, 63r:74r, 74r:115v, 116ar:116cv, 117r:120v, 121v:154v, 155ar:155bv, 156r:159r, 159r:169v, 181v:183r, 183r:184r, 184r:196r, 196r:198r, 198r:211v, 213r:220v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence