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Coll 30/86(3) 'PERSIA. Relations with Iraq: Shatt-el-Arab. Establishment of an International Conservancy Board.' [‎82r] (170/674)

The record is made up of 1 file, in 2 parts (329 folios). It was created in 14 Apr 1937-5 Mar 1946. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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It was originally felt that to agree to the unconditional
re-registration of hie port lands would .weaken the
security of the debt* but the matter v/as reconsidered last
autumn at the request of Sa.iyid Taufirr suwaidi, the Iraqi
Minister for Foreign Affa:Lrs c The conclusions reached were
that the security afforded by the fact that the port lands went
at present registered in the name of His Majesty 4 s Government
was* in great pari at least* illusory* and that in the last
resort the repayment of the debt • upended on the goodwill and
general financial policy of the Iraqi Government, Moreover,
the Iraqi Government were in any case entitled to claim
that the lands should be transferred unconditionally if they
were to repay the port debt in its entirety, and this they
should be able to do without undue difficulty, n they
attached sufficient importance to the matter. It was
therefore decided that she requesc for re—registration could
be complied with* and His Majesty's Embassy informed the
Iraqi Government accordingly. No effect was, however,
given to this offer, presumaoly oecause General Nuri s
Government did not take the same intexesG xn the matter as
had been shewn by sasyid Taufiq Suwaidx 0
7, In theory, If the Iraqi Government were to propose
introducing any changes in tne Bj^a 41 s^^gup v which His
Majesty's Government felt bound to disapprove, it would be
open to their to stand on their rights under ‘the Exchange o.t
notes of the 19th August, 1930, But since these rights are
only assured to them until the pert debt Is repaid, and as
the Iraqi Government could, If put to it, prooably repay
this debt at any time, their position is far from strong.
However, until the debt is repaid, the assurances given to
them/

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Content

The file concerns the possibility of establishing an international Conservancy Board for the Shatt-el-Arab (also referred to as the Shatt-al-Arab) between the governments of Iraq, Iran (also referred to as Persia), and the United Kingdom.

The board was intended to ensure the efficient maintenance and navigation of the Shatt-al-Arab waterway. The United Kingdom was involved because of the close interests of British shipping in the conservancy of the Shatt-al-Arab.

The papers cover: Perso-Iraqi frontier negotiations; drafts, signing (July 1937), and ratification (June 1938) of the Perso-Iraqi Frontier Treaty; Turkish approval of the frontier negotiations; the signing of the four power non-aggression pact between Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Afghanistan (the Saad-Abad [Saadabad] Pact), 1937; Abadan anchorage; Foreign Office memoranda and minutes of meetings concerning a convention for the conservancy of the Shatt-al-Arab; the question of British participation in the convention; lighting and buoying; the involvement of Sir John Ward [serving with the Iraqi Government] in the discussions; the opposition of the Iranian Government to British involvement; the involvement of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC); the Port of Basra (including Foreign Office memorandum, folios 77-83); the Rooka Channel; and renewed discussion of the issue in 1945, including the importance of the Shatt-al-Arab for tanker traffic to supply Britain's war needs in the Far East.

The main correspondents are the Foreign Office, the British Ambassador to Iraq, and HM Minister, Tehran.

The French language content of the file consists of approximately twenty folios of diplomatic correspondence and treaties.

There are no papers in the file dated 1941-44.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 file, in 2 parts (329 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: this file consists of two physical parts. The foliation sequence commences at the first folio of part one (ff 1-169) and terminates at the last folio of part two (ff 170-329); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel; these numbers are printed, but are not circled. A previous foliation sequence, which is circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out. The front and back conservation covers (parts one and two), have not been foliated.

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English in Latin script
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Coll 30/86(3) 'PERSIA. Relations with Iraq: Shatt-el-Arab. Establishment of an International Conservancy Board.' [‎82r] (170/674), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3804, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100047087708.0x0000ab> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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