'British relations with Turkey in the Persian Gulf. Memorandum on Lieutenant-Colonel Cox's telegram reports in Government of India's telegram of 1 December 1910.' [‎4r] (7/10)

conflict, and there seems no donbt that we should insist on Turkish exclusion
from the district south of Ujair. If the Minister for Foreign Affairs, after
studying the question of Zakhnuniyeh and Odied and consulting his
colleagues, does not give categorical instructions for the non-interference of
the Turkish local authorities, it would seem necessary, subject to the views
of His Majesty's Government, to take a strong line. For, to the Turkish
mind, Zakhnuniyeh is a sort of stepping stone to El Katr. and perhaps even
to the Trucial coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. . The Turks do not put forward any valid claims to
justify their territorial acquisitions in those parts, but it is not difficult to
glean that they base their claims on the fact that in the beginning of the
iGth century a Turkish flotilla, under Piale Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , annexed Gwadur, in
iSouth Baluchistan, and sailed up the Gulf, compelling the Arab Chiefs to
acknowledge the sovereignty of the Ottoman Sultan and Caliph. They
further feel that as the dominant Islamic power they have undefined right to
bring under their allegiance and to protect the small Arab Moslem tribes, &c.,
in the Arabian peninsula.
Sir E. Grey's despatch of 17th October contained the following
passage :—
" I do not propose to enter upon a detailed review of British relations with
the Sheikh of Bahrein and the Trucial Chiefs, since the matter is one which
in no wise concerns the Ottoman Government; J need simply observe that
those relations have been the foundation of the maritime peace which has
now been maintained in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for well-nigh a century.
" Moreover, as Your Excellency is aware, in November and December 1871
the Ottoman Minister for Foreign Affairs himself gave assurances that hU
Government had no intention of attacking or obtaining any supremacy over
Bahrein or the independent tribes on the coast of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and
similar assurances had already repeatedly been given to Her Majesty's
Ambassador at Constantinople.
" But, apart altogether from the assurances of the Ottoman Government to
which I have referred, Ujair, in the district of El Katif, is the most southerly
point which His Majest3 7 's Government have ever recognised as being under
Turkish influence on the coast of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
" In these circumstances Your Excellency was instructed to request the
Ottoman Government to withdraw the garrison from Zakhnuniyeh on the
ground of terminating a disturbance of the status quo; and your repre
sentations were to be based, not only on the title of the Sheikh of Bahrein to
the island, but also on the lact that it is situated some distance to the south
east of Ujair, the furthest limit of Ottoman jurisdiction."
III.
" That having achieved second hew, ice should make treaties on lines of
Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. agreements with Bin Thani, and, if necessary, with
other headmen on the ivest coast of Katr"
The question of making an agreement was first raised by the Govern
ment of India in 1902 in connection with the desire of Sheikh Ahmed bin
Thani to be taken under our protection, being alarmed at an intimation which
he had received from the Turkish authorities that they intended to send
more troops to those regions. The Government of India were in favour of the
conclusion of an agreement, but in 1903 the idea was shelved because the
abandonment by the Turks of the contemplated mudirates above referred to
made it impossible for His Majesty's Government to do anything themselves
inconsistent with the status quo. The Government of India, however, in
1901 suggested that without establishing a protectorate it might be justifiable
to make such an agreement with the Sheikh as would secure the
maintenance of the status quo and the exclusion of foreign interference,
the Sheikh undertaking not to enter into relations with, receive the
representative of, or cede territory to any foreign power. (Secret
letter No 77 of 31st March 1904). His Majesty's Government had at
the time a large number of questions outstanding with the Turkish Govern
ment, and Sir N. O'Conor was unwilling to add to them, being moreover
S. 41. c