'C.74 CONFIDENTIAL 86/4 EASTERN AND GENERAL SYNDICATE. QATAR.' [‎20r] (44/54)

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The activities of Major Holraei* agent may be
reported briefly to ttje Coionial Office.
For facility of reference later,I give below a
summary of previous correspondence regarding oil con-
-cessions in Qatar.
September
In 1923 the Eastern & General Syndicate asked the
Resident's permission to approach the Shaikh for an
oil concession. The request was referred to the
Colonial Office, who considered that the A.P.O.C. then
had a prior claim. The Colonial Oil ice informed
in February 1924
the Syndicate accordingly and informed both them and
the A.P.O.C. at the same time that they regarded the
time afe unsuitable on general political grounds for
such negotlat ions.
In October 1925 the A.P.O.C, applied for permiss4
-ion to make a reconnaissance, amonpt other places,
across Qatar,and the Colonial Office decided that ther
was no longer any prima facle reason for discouraging
oil development in Qatar. In -March 1926 Messrs.
Lees and Haji Abdullah Williamson visited the Shaikh
and obtained from him an undertaking tnat he would not
grant a concession to any other party for the next
18 months. They did not follow this up and the
Shaikh is now free in this respect, so far as the
A.P.O.C. are concerned.
I have not been able to trace any papers giving
the Eastern & General Syndicate specific permission
to negotiate in Qatar but since the prior claim of the
A.P.O.C. has expired and H.H.G. allowed the APOC to
negotiate in 1926, the Syndicate are presumably free
to negotiate.
The Shaikh hiimself is bound by Art. V of the
Treaty of 1916 not to grant any concession without the
consent of the British Government.