'F 83 File 82/27-II QATAR OIL' [‎69r] (152/630)

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2.
not prepared to promise more than diplomatic assistance should
he be attacked t»y Ihn Saud. Nothing of much consequence as
tearing on general relations with H.M.G. had occurred in Qatar
between then and 1932, when, aiter unsuccessful negotiations
with the Sheikh for aerodrome facilities, which had broken
down because of our refusal to give him the formal guarantee
of protection in all circumstances which he was anxious to
secure, we had narked out a landing ground by dropping bags of
chalk from the air near Dohah and had warned him that if
aircraft using it were molested he would be called to account^
but that if he treated them well he would be rewarded. In
the same year the A.P.O.G. had, with our knowledge and
permission, entered into direct negotiations with the Sheikh
for the purpose of securing an oil concession which, however,
if obtained, would have to be transferred to the Iraq
Petroleum Company, in accordance with the Group Agreement
between that Company and the A.P.O.C. Negotiations were still
proceeding, but the Sheikh had adopted an evasive attitude
towards the British political authorities in the Gulf in
respect of them. Ihe latest information from the Company
was to the effect that he had been anxious to secure their
(k)
jconcurrence in the exercise "by him of jurisdiction in any
disputes which might arise "between his subjects and their
(_ I-1 _
employees"; that he had asked them to undertake to supply him
with arms for tne defence of their works (a request which
strictly speaking was hardly consistent with Article 3 of
iiis Treaty of 1916); and that he had indicated, in connection
wioh tne arbitration provisions to he included in the
concession under negotiation, that he was apprehensive of the
Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. ; was anxious that some international "body
such as the. Permanent Court of International justice at The
Hdgu^ should be referred to, hut disliked the suggestion that
the/