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Coll 6/67(4) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [‎105r] (209/843)

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The record is made up of 1 file (420 folios). It was created in 12 Nov 1935-27 Sep 1937. 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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3
Dhabi to give up Khor-al-Odeid to Ibn Saud, I doubt whether the transfer would
be worth the making, since it would not give Ibn Saud the port he needs, and we
should have made a political sacrifice without gaining the advantage which I
think we stand to gain from any improvement in Ibn Sand’s economic position.
9. Copies of this despatch and enclosures are being sent to the Hon. the
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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. at Bushire.
I have. &c.
R. W. BULLARD.
Enclosure 1.
Record made by Mr. Rendel, March 20. 1937.
South-Eastern Arabian Frontiers.
SIR READER BULLARD and I called on Sheikh Yusuf Yasin on the
19th March to discuss the frontier question. Sheikh Hafiz Wahba and a secretary
from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Muhammad Shaikho) were also present.
Sheikh Hafiz interpreted with Sir Reader Bullard’s assistance.
I.
2. Sir Reader began by explaining that not long ago. according to the
records he had seen, there had been some thirty questions outstanding between
Great Britain and Saudi Arabia. These had now happily been reduced—as
regards questions of major importance—to three, i.e., the eastern and southern
frontiers of Saudi Arabia, the Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan fontier. and the Koweit blockade.
He explained that I had taken the opportunity of my present journey to make a
special study on the spot of the first of these three questions, and suggested that
the occasion of my visit to Jedda might usefully be taken to discuss it in the light
of my investigations.
3. Sheikh Yusuf replied that, though certain questions might still be out
standing, no question at issue could make any difference to the firmness of
Anglo-Saudi friendship.
4. I explained that, while it was happily true that Anglo-Saudi friendship
rested on so solid a foundation that such local issues were unlikely ever to disturb
it, it was, nevertheless .wise to take the opportunity of the calmness and cordiality
of our friendship to clear up all outstanding points and eliminate as far as we
could all potential causes of local friction. An unsettled frontier, as had been
shown over and over again elsewhere, was always a potential danger. It would
surely be well, then, to get the matter finally settled and out of the way as soon as
possible.
5. With this end in view I had taken the opportunity of the King’s
invitation to me to visit Saudi Arabia to go into the whole matter again with
renewed thoroughness. I had discussed it with the British authorities in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , I had gone through the relevant archives at the British Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. ,
and, in order to satisfy myself personally that we were not making any
exaggerated or unjustified claims. I had, in company with Colonel Fowle. Colonel
Loch and Captain de Gaury, flown over and round all the disputed points of
the frontier on the northern section of the line, particularly the Jebel Naksh and
the Khor-el-Odeid. I confessed that I had hoped that the facts would prove such
as to enable us to offer some further compromise in regard to these two points.
Our subject, as the Saudi Government well knew, was to meet King Ibn Sand’s
wishes to the utmost possible extent. But, unfortunately, my hopes of finding
our case ill-founded or of devising a means of suggesting some compromise over
the more difficult parts of the line had not been realised.
II.
6. I then suggested that we should consider the various sections of the
frontier in detail, and that we should begin with the Jebel Naksh. I showed
Sheikh Yusuf Yasin our latest map of the Qatar Peninsula, and also a sketch
map and elevation of the Jebel Naksh and surrounding district, which I had
[981 t— 1 ] b 2

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Content

This file primarily concerns British policy regarding the eastern and south-eastern boundaries of Saudi Arabia, specifically those bordering Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Muscat (i.e. the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman).

Much of the correspondence relates to British concerns that the boundaries should be demarcated prior to the commencement of any oil prospecting in the area. The file's principal correspondents are the following: His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan, succeeded by Sir Reader William Bullard); the 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle); the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch); the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Muscat (Major Ralph Ponsonby Watts); the Secretary of State for the Colonies; the Secretary of State for India; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; officials of the Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, 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. , and the Admiralty.

Matters discussed in the correspondence include the following:

  • Whether the British should press King Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] for a settlement of the outstanding questions relating to the aforementioned boundaries.
  • Sir Andrew Ryan's meeting with Ibn Saud and the Deputy Minister for Saudi Foreign Affairs, Fuad Bey Hamza, in Riyadh, in November 1935.
  • The disputed territories of Jebel Naksh [Khashm an Nakhsh, Qatar] and Khor-al-Odeid [Khawr al ‘Udayd].
  • Whether or not a territorial agreement between Ibn Saud and Qatar was concluded prior to the Anglo-Qatar Treaty of 1916.
  • The intentions of Petroleum Concessions Limited regarding the development of its oil concession in Qatar.
  • The line proposed by the British for the boundary between Saudi Arabia and the Aden Protectorate.
  • The Kuwait blockade.
  • Leading personalities in Oman.
  • Details of Harry St John Bridger Philby's expedition to Shabwa [Shabwah, Yemen].
  • Four meetings held between Sir Reader Bullard, George Rendel (Head of the Foreign Office's Eastern Department), and Ibn Saud, in Jedda, 20-22 March 1937.

Also included are the following:

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 (folio 2).

Extent and format
1 file (420 folios)
Arrangement

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 421; 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. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 6/67(4) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [‎105r] (209/843), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2137, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100049619516.0x00000c> [accessed 19 March 2024]

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