'File 8/64 III SULTAN'S RELATIONS WITH HIS TRIBES' [‎31r] (61/150)

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in mind and to report in due course, when the results of
the initial steps have hoen seen, what you consider to do
the likelihood “of achieving it.
4. The timing of the negotiations with the Shaikhs for
the formation of a Council is a question which I
requires careful consideration. The establishment of the
Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Levies has caused considerable resentm nt in
the minds of King Ibn Saud and his advisers, ana to follow
this up immediately with what will presumably be regarded
as an attempt to,form an anti-Saudi Confederation may increase
the tension. It might well lead to intrigues, iniuiated
in Saudi Arabia, to frustrate the project, accompanied
possibly by threats or promises which would affect the evi
dence given before the frontier fact-finding Commission.
On the other hand such evidence of His Majesty s Government o
continued interest in and support for uhe Shaikhs against
the influence of King Ibn Saud VsTill have a benexioial
effect upon their attitude and strengthen them against
Saudi Arabian arguments. . I do not doubt that you have these
) 0 int 3 in mind.
5 . I understand the difficulty of including the Shaikh
o~ Am Dhabi in a Oouncil with the rest of the Trucial
everti lea His 1 tjesty’s Government’s respon
sibilities towards this State are the same as those toward
the others, and I should prefer if possiole to avoid excla-
• * it from the proposals for a Council of Pul era since
manV of ttie problems and of the solutions my be common to
airthi Trucial States A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. . If, however, the Bnler is unwilling
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Trucial Shaikhs, I hope that it ./ill be possible to advice
and assist him independently in Tne i :..p** ovv:< .. n •* o~ hio
admi ni s t r a t i on.
6 . I agree that in the initial stages the Political
Officer on the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. should prepare the agenda and
play the leading part in the proposed Council. I hope,
however, that ?/hen the Shaikhs become use! to the idea cu
joint action and are sufficiently experienced to take the
lead in the Council’s deliberations, the Political Officer
will be able to hand over his functions to the Shaikhs
themselves. Then this stage is reached, considers o.lo *
might be given to the employment by the oouncil Oj. a
British permanent Secretary who would supervise the pre
paration of the Agenda and the execution of the Council s
decisions.
7 . My remarks so far have been confined to uhs settled
areas *of the Trucial States A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. in which His ..ajesty’s
Government have definite obligations and the Trucial bhaixhs
exercise control. The problem of our relations with bhe tribes
of Central Oman and of our responsibilities in this area
is much more difficult, and is fully discussed in your
Despatches under reference. Apart from the tribes oj- D ho far
a n d in the South fast, which are unuer th no me to control
of the Sultan, I have considered the tribes of this area
as divide 1 into three grouos:-
(i) those under the complete or partial control
of the frucial Shaikhs;
(ii) those which regard themselves as indep ;ndent
or over which the Sultan lias purely nominal
control; and
those which recognise the authority of the Imae.
A