'Historical Summary of Events in the Persian Gulf Shaikhdoms and the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, 1928-1953' [‎21r] (46/222)

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a ^anitr, 51. In 1949 Ibn Saud and the Ruler of Bahrain issued their declarations of
thefora; rights over the sea-bed and the Saudi Arabian Government followed up the issue
a matter oi their declaration with a request to His Majesty's Government to enter into
wnretii discussions regarding the boundaries of the sea-bed between the two States. Both
refusiio the Arabian American Oil Company and the Bahrain Petroleum Company started
he Sup; to stake their claims over the shoals north of Bahrain. After consulting Salman
38). | His Majesty's Government explained the position about the Bahrain Petroleum
tenniii Company's operations in the Bu Sa'afah shoal (and also on Arabi Island (Chapter
ir succesi 3, paragraph 71)) to the Saudi Arabian Government and suggested that they should
^ith Ski ^ allowed to continue those operations without prejudice^ 79 ) The Saudis however
uperiori demanded the cessation of the operations( 80 ) and Ibn Saud wrote personally to
. Noref Salman on the subject. The latter sent a non-committal reply and in his turn
wernmeii protested against the operations of the Arabian American Oil Company in the area.
52. His Majesty's Government had hoped that discussion of the sea-bed
the Rule: boundary with the Saudis might be postponed until the dispute with them about
iO sure l an d boundaries had been settled but were forced to the conclusion that this was
y foundi no longer possible. The Bahrain Petroleum Company were asked to cease
i the sai operations in the area and in April 1950 the Saudi Arabian Government was
le bring! informed that His Majesty's Government were intending to present to them
is likelyt proposals for the delimitation of the sea-bed between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain
ily slight and asked to advise the Arabian American Oil Company also to suspend operations
in the disputed areas, the limits of which were defined.( ') The company suspended
0 f exDei: operations accordingly. In May 1950 this company fixed plaques on all the beacons
^ marking the channel to Ras Tanurah including those on the Rennie and Bu Sa'afah
nriw shoals Wlth inscri P tl ons to the effect that they were situated in Saudi territory.( 82 )
nihahn ^ U l er prolssted about the plaque on Bu Sa'afah and a protest was made bv His
^decide Ma J est y' s Embassy at Jeddah to the Saudi Arabian Government.
53. At the end of 1949 or the beginning of 1950 the Saudis placed markers
on certain islands claimed lor Ivuwait and also on the two Bainah Islands which
were claimed by Bahrain.( 83 ) Salman protested strongly against their action on the
latter islands, and Belgrave forwarded to 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. a detailed statement
rain anc or Bahrain s claim.C ) This was based largely on usage but also referred to Article 13
of the unratified Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1913 which mentions the two
l Islands islands as included in Bahrain. A protest was made to the Saudi Arabian
:hey weii Government.
roceediii 54 s auc ji s forwarded a note on May 11, 1950 in reply to notes dealing
same}- w ith this and other territorial disputes accusing His Majesty's Government of
ull acce P t>lng tlle Ru l ers claims without due scrutiny, urging the statement of the
n ba&m claims on a real historical basis and suggesting that a joint technical committee
iggested should.be appointed to examine the disputes in a practical manner.( 83 ) In August
a nd 0Del His Majesty's Embassy at Jedda presented two aide-memoires to the Saudi
he raw Arabian Government.( s ') In the first, the intention of removing the plaques on the
reworP; Bu Sa'afah and Rennie shoals and the markers on Farsi, Arabi and the Bainah
ical hp- Islands was announced and in the second it was proposed that each Government
nit he should prepare a memorandum of claims setting out the detailed evidence in which
;tforso i the claims were based, and that they should be exchanged two months before a
date to be appointed for discussions, which it was proposed should take place in
ion to cair Bahrain. A further communication relating to the division of the sea-bed between
[( j e rstaiidi Bahrain and Saudi Arabia was promised. The Royal Navy removed all the plaques
u l(j s# and markers concerned and strong protests were received from the Saudis. His
re ga# Majesty's Government undertook to refrain from erecting any such markers
rmeiorf themselves on the understanding that similar restraint would be exercised by the
^clai! Saudi Arabian Government. In November a note was received from the Saudis
• ^ {jje m protesting against the removal of the markers and agreeing to a meeting to be held
first at Dammam and then if necessary at Bahrain. His Majesty's Government
replied in April 1951 agreeing that negotiations should take place regarding all
( 79 ) Jedda to F.O. Despatch 202 of November 2, 1949 (E 13554/1271/91 of 1949).
( 80 ) Jedda to F.O. Despatch 205 of November 6, 1949 (E 13748/1271/91 of 1949)
C 81 ) Jedda to F.O. Despatch 33 of April 8, 1950 (EA 1276/28 of 1950).
C 82 ) Tel. from P.R. to F.O. 177 of May 4, 1950 (EA 1276/31 of 1950).
( 83 ) Tel. From P.R. to F.O. 16 of January 13, 1950 (EA 1081/2 of 1950).
( 84 ) P.R. to F.O. 4/47/50 of April 27, 1950 (EA 1081/19 of 1950).
( 85 ) Tel. from Jedda to F.O. 137 of May 19, 1950 (EA 1081 /37 of 1950).
)• ( 86 ) Jedda to F.O. Despatch 112 of August 18, 1950 (EA 1081/36 of 1950).