Coll 5/84(4) ‘Middle East Summaries from Ministry of Civil Aviation’ [‎46r] (92/107)

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(c) Qatar
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(d) The seven Trucial Shaikhdons of Sharjah, De'oai, Kalba,
Abu Dhabi, Has al Khaina , Urxi al Qav.ain, Ajtnan,
. _ O
The Sultan of Muscat and Omn, although an independent sovereign and not und&r
British protection, is included for convenience in this paragraph* •
100. T. is planning to use Shinas ( in the Sultanate) on their Indian
route and asked the Sultan for permission in August this year.
101. Our own rights are covered by a Aar Subsidy Agreement which ends on
31st December, 1946 and we have asked the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .to approach the Sultan to
conclude an Aviation Agreement, giving us operating rights. As the have
long-term strategic requirements and wish to maintain airfields in the Sultanate on
a care and maintenance basis, it was mooted whether the IMA. . should negotiate
for bases or whether we should try to include these in a Civil Aviation Agreement.
On general grounds the latter is preferable, as the Sultan is more likely to
accede to requests for civil aviation rights; apart from the possibility of using
the Hadramaut coast on B.O.A.C. ! s proposed truns-Africa - India route, there is
also a likelihood of developing a service based on Aden vdth aircraft smaller
than Tudor IPs The branch of the British Government of India with responsibility for managing political relations between British-ruled India and its surrounding states, and by extension the Gulf, during the period 1937-47. , so although at the moment the use of airfields in the
Sultanate may not be commercially justified, prospects of future development do
exist.
CITR US:
- On the 3rd September B.E.A.C. examined Hull Blythe and Company 1 s
proposals for a Cyprus-based airline, and from the 11th to 16 th October
.Mr Commodore 'Whitney Straight, the Deputy Chairman of B.jE.-l.C., paid a. visit to
Cyprus. E• Division of this Ministry has prepared an appreciation of
potential air traffic from and to Cyprus and their conclusions are not entirely
discouraging; the tourist trade to Cyprus doubled itself in value between 1932
and 1933 and present indications show than, even allowing for abnormal post-war
increases, tourist traffic to Cyprus is likely to increase still further; they
also forecast a general increase in trade travel between the U.K. and the Middle
East due to the elimination of G-ermany and Italy as trade rivalsthey consider
tnat a total of seventy passengers each way, each week, may be expected.
1°3* There is still uncertainty over the use to which kicosia airfield is
to be put in the future. The R.-^.F. proposals to use it as a Bomber School have
left the Cyprus Government with the prospect of no civil airfield and have not
given them sufficient time to choose and construct, at reasonable cost, a
suitable alternative.
104* The proposal for a Middle East training school, which was made by
Lord Davidson’s Trade Mission, is dicussed in part B of this Summary. The
Trade Mission suggested Cyprus as a suitable place but, in fact, there are
objections: apart from the uncertain tenure by the Cyprus Government of Nicosia
airfield, the type, of school contemplated should be sited-near a trunk route
airport in order to give adequate training to flying control officers and airport
managers; , further, Cyprus is not geographically very well placed and,
politically speaking, is less suitable than Egypt, for example.
Hr• .ililary has returned from his reconnaisance in xMLen and his report
is being considered*
106 .
B.
OCCMPIED TERRITORIE S UN DER BRITISH MILIiMRY ADMINISTRATI ON :
There is nothing further to report.
ACTION OUT ST— DI • G
The position in Syria has changed recently.
due to Huntings terminating
/their
107.
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