'File 82/27 III (F 84) APOC: Qatar Oil' [‎183r] (367/638)

3.
8./
(i) tfMle of course ao attempt would be made to set uo
any physical barr .wr at the frontier, the threat o
the pressure which, in various xoms, Lis ,^jes^ •»-'
Government could apply against Ibn Saud would deter
him from, openly launching a large scale attack oa
It Is prob-ble thi.t it is against this
contingency that the Oheikh of Qatar would aosvt valu
an undertaking oa our part, and tae Caancil conuide'-
that in normal oiroumstancee it should be possible
to implement a guarantee tc this effect.
(ii) Given an adequate air intelligence organisation, it is
probable th ,t sufficient warning of aaythijxg in the
nature of a lar^e scale tribal invasion would be
received in ti:.^ to pemit of iritish Naval and ..ir
forces beii.a, aovea u] to tahe action to disperse it
and to strengthen tne local defence.
(iii) It would not be practicable to prevent raids on a
a nailer scale "by highly no bile raiding parties
which might number a few -lundr.ids*
7. She Council consider that an/ guarantee given should
be subjeot to the xo 11 o win.; safe.;u?ira3? ~
(i) Unprovoked Aggression
It must be made clear tli t . is aajesty' s :'iuvornneui}
could not permit themselves to be drawn iatt--
intervention o./in ■; to 1^ oh of a: coatrol by the
Sheikh over his own tribesmen or o\:- the ado ;)tion ol
provocative action on ni. own part on the preaimptica
of support from his . :aj esty T s Government. " le must
be prepared to follow the advice of his ..aJesty's
Government in his attitude towards nis .■iei o :>i.i z •
(ii) L ocal Protection
For defence against minor raids the Sheikh should
provide the necessary local defence forces and forts
or other w dries necessary Ma .elf. It mey be ixesu ted
however that he already does this in nis own
interests in the normal course ♦ Care, however, will
be necessary to ensure that as a result of
receiving any promise of support from ourselves he
does not relax taese protective measures#
Uii) Boundarie s
f'he Council understand that the boundaries of Qatar
are not as yet defined and consider tnat it mil o©
important to define the ooundaries to vliici:. the
assurance of protection is in fact to apply.
(* Y ) Means of impldnie^.tin^ tha commitment
From the air standpoint it is essential (a/ that
aircraft should be free to fly over Qatar in order
that pilots may be familiar with the country;^ and
(bj that when it is necessai'y to take air action
the aircraft shall be free to attack those objectives
most likely to give the required results and shall ^
not be coxifined within the boundaries of the bneikh s
territories.