File 10/5 II Hasa oil: CASOC's activities in Hasa; development of Ras Tannura; Political Agent's visit to Hasa [‎142r] (288/656)

onlir serious ones '<• ithdr^v on fiatfiag that tiieir businees-
reiatioii© with the British India group forbad.© thoir oon^et-
ing. then the negotiations got into the hands of the Council
of Ministers» where men like shaikh Yusuf Yasin, who know
nothing shout shipping had sn oppoiftunity to produoe bright
idea® from first principles. Finally, f r. Hills had to faoe
noi only the# usual wet hods of oriental "bargaining# where he
was cobs ton tXy assured that the last ttipsn had been presented
and fresh ones were produosd a two later# hut also
the difficulty peculiar to this country# where the wore-or-
l@ee responsihle Saudi officials are sometimes aheent frora
Jedds end thus out of reach of direct anpnient for weeks
at a time.
«!• Knowing what a sors suhjoot this has been with
Ihn Srtudt «n4 that in the past we here always declared that
whether British steamers should call at ^sudi ports on the
Ciulf was s con^aercial matter over which His fe-a J ester's Gorerii-
«ent had no control» I wss careful not to push the claiias of
Messrs. Cr^r# fesckenzie# though I f«we Mr* iills such advice
as I could throughout the negotletlons# and towards the end#
when it seerrssd that negotiations radgM "break down# and a
subordinate official threatened to mice It ispoissihle for
■ essrs* C r^.r #^sskeii*is to csr^jf on at Ha® fsnur® even the .
work they haw already done for cow ti®s# via. landing work
for 0«A.S.O.0.9 X ohtained s promiae from Shaihk Yusuf Yasln
that even if no formal agreement resulted# the asudi Oovsm-
msnt would do their 'best to find mm® giodue vivendi with
I Users. Oray ,l «ackensis.
4. m agreement ha© bsan concluded# though in s
peculiar form* ''fixe Government eventually sent M'. i.ills a
letter smbodying a number of conditions# ssveral of which he
wss unable to accept* is replied making rsssrves* For this
/ letter