'File 5/14 Continental shelf and marine area' [‎3r] (5/286)

COPY
Telegram
From
To
No. 58.
Dated 8th,
Inter Indiv (CYPHER TELEGRAM - OTP - SECRET)
Foreign Office, London.
Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. , Bahrain.
I
received 9th May 1948.
SECRET.
Para 10 of Chancery letter of March 24th
about Continental Shelf of Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
In our reply to State Department we propose
to accept suggestion that some public announcement by
ourselves and U.S. Government on general lines will be
needed. We have come to the conclusion however that if
this public announcemeiit were made as envisaged by State
Department before rulers on south-western shores of
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. had made any formal assertion of sovereignty
an opportunity would be afforded to Persian Government to
take forestalling action and to claim continental shelf
of whole of Gulf. On reflection we therefore consider and
propose to suggest to State Department that as soon as
H.M.G. and U.S. Govt* have settled their policy the first
public action by anyone should be a declaration of sovereignty
in general terms by the rulers of the south-western shores
of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . This would mean that we and Americans
would suggest this course to Saudi and Iraqi Governments
and that we should arrange for Sheikhdoms under our
protection and Muscat to make general assertion of
sovereignty over area of continental shelf bet?/een median
line and limit of their territorial waters. We would try
to persuade Saudi and Iraq.1 Governments to synchronize their
action with that of the Sheikhdoms. H.M.G. and U.^S.
-
/ Govt.