Coll 5/16 ‘Air Route to India: Occasional landings at Koweit – Agreements between the Sheikh of Koweit and British Overseas Airways Corporation’ [‎40r] (80/550)

Ext* 27 1x3/kl.
CQNEIEENTIAL
Notes of a meeting held in the Commonwealth Relations
Office on 2nd December* 1947 to discnss future
aerodrome arrang ements at I^oweit* ’ —
Present ’ %
Mr* Ibnaldson (Commonwealth Relations Cffico) in the Chair
Mr* lyman )
Mr* Clinton Ihomas)
Mr. Ratoliffo-Cousins
Mr* Low
Mr* Southwell )
General Schofield )
Air Commodore Chisholm)
Mr* Harrison )
Mr* Hallows )
Mr* Rood )
Foreign Office
Ministry of Civil Aviation
Mr Ministry
Kowoit Oil Company
Commonwealth Relations Office
Iho Chairman said that it was now desirable that the present •
arrangements at Kbwoit should be placed on a more 'satisfactory footing*
Iho existing Civil Mr Agreement with the Sheikh of Kowoit was due
for renewal in May, 1948 and the question now arose whether Hia
Majesty’s Government should enter into negotiations for its extension.
2, Mr * S' -u th wel 1 stated that the Koweit Oil Company relied extensively
on air transport for the movement of both personnel and equipment to
Kbweit* At present their traffic was carried partly by aircraft
operating under charter to the Company, partly by their own ■aircraft*
and partly (between Basra and Mwcit) 'by Iraqi Airways* The Shoikh
had intimated that the air strip immediately to the South of the town
which the Company wore using and naintraining (which ha.d originally
boon prepared by His Majesty’s Government) would have tc be abandoned
as it was situated close to one of the main gates of the to,,n* and
across one of the main routes leading to the town* 'Hie Company were
accordingly proposing tc construct an air strip lor their own purposes
’ oither a few miles to the west of the town or near tho now harbour at
Rahaihil about 20 miles tv the south. It was thought that tho former
sito would probably bo bettor owing to there being less likelihood of
sandstorms* Tho length of the strip would be 6,000 foot in order to
permit the landing of four-engined aircraft* Natural foundations
would apparently be strong enough to boar tho' weight of aircraft of
this size. Mr. Southwell added, that he would like to soo Idwcit put
on the civil air map as a port of call on a main route from this
country. Iho operations of the Oil Company had expanded rapidly and
would soon reach a considerable magnitude and ho thought that tho
amount of traffic offering would be substantial. He mentioned that
there would shortly bo as many as 1,100 American and British employees
of the Company at Kbwoit.
3. Mr. Rate!iffo-Cousins stated that the Ministry of Civil Aviation
did not consider that, in view of the facilities already available at
Margil, Ihahran and Bahrein, there was at present justification for
His Majesty’s Govornmont financing tho construction of a largo
international airport at Koweit* iCowoit was linked with tho B*C*A*C.
traffic lines by tho Iraqi Airways Kbwcit/Basra service. Reforoncc
was/