Coll 5/1 ‘Persian Gulf Air Routes: Hasa Coast & Flying over Nejd territory — Saudi regulations for the landing of foreign aircraft’ [‎25v] (50/564)

4
four white L-shaped marks at the corners, and these can be easily constructed in
concrete and maintained with whitewash. It would clearly be preferable if the
landing grounds could be inspected in the first place by a Royal Air Force official;
but if the Saudi Government prefer not to avail themselves of Royal Air Force
assistance, they could doubtless themselves execute the necessary work, with the
co-operation of the pilots in their own air force, on the basis of plans furnished
to them. Alternatively, the Royal Air Force could carry out the work in
conjunction with the Saudi authorities, as suggested in the case of the airway
beacon in paragraph 9 above.
13. The readiness of the Saudi Government to grant any of the desired
facilities will doubtless turn largely on the amount of financial inducement they
receive. His Majesty’s Government are prepared, in the particular circum
stances prevailing in Saudi Arabia, to agree that payment should be made for
any facilities accorded, although these are of a nature which other countries
would normally provide without charge. At the same time, in view of the very
limited use to which the facilities—apart from the airway beacon—would be
put, they consider that the amount of compensation should be kept on a modest
plane, and below the figure of £3,000 a year previously proposed as a maximum
offer. For your own information, the question is, moreover, complicated by the
possibility of payment being made by means of a remission of the Saudi debt due
to His Majesty’s Government; and, before this possibility can be explored, it will
be necessary to learn the intentions of the Saudi Government in regard to the
repayment of the outstanding balance of that debt. It will, therefore, be
preferable for you to avoid any discussion of the financial aspect at the present
stage and until you receive further instructions. If questioned on the subject
you may indicate the readiness of His Majesty’s Government to make a small
annual payment, but you should explain that they will require to know how many
of the desired facilities the Saudi Government will be prepared to grant before
they can make any concrete offer.
14. In the event of your negotiations being successful, you may propose to
the Saudi Government that the agreement should be recorded in an exchange of
notes to be operative for five years and terminable thereafter at six months’ notice.
I am. &c.
SAMUEL HO ARE.