'File 4/13 IV Zubara' [‎101r] (206/412)

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Kis Highness Shaikh Sir Salman bin Hamad al Khalifah, K.C.I.E.,
Ruler of Bahrain.
A/G., ^ / ‘ ^
I have the honour to refer to your letter dated 14th
September 1944.
2* I received your letter under reference with surprise
*
as I have made no promises to you either in regard to the
restoration of the position to what it was in the past or with
regard to the return of arms which Your Highness stated had
been taken from your subjects some years ago.
3. I draw Your Highness 1 attention to the following phrase
in the agreement "The Ruler of Qatar undertakes that Zubara
will remain without anything being done in it which did not
exist in the past”, from which it does not appear that anything
is required to be changed which existed at the time of the
agreement but rather that there should be no new innovation.
4. During the conversations referred to in your letter
under reference. Your Highness asked me personall^whether I
would endeavour to have certain arms returned to you by the
Shaikh of Qatar as ypu stated it was customary for such
restitution to be made on the resumption of friendly relations
by Arab tribes of importance. You desired, so you said,* a
symbol from which the Al Khalifah would understand the extent
to which both sides to the agreement were prepared to.go in
order to ensure that their good intentions were plain to all men,
At the same time, you drew my attention to the
Port at Zubars which up to the present time is garrisoned by
adherents of Shaikh Abdullah bin Qasim and gave it as your
opinion that it would be difficult for the Al Khalifah to enter
Qatar for their hunting expeditions * by way of Zubara when
subject to the scrutiny of the ShaiPh of Qatar soldiers. You .
felt that it would not be in accordance with the prestige of
the family.