Coll 6/67(4) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [‎416v] (832/843)

situation has now been made by the British authorities in the 1 ersian Gul in
order to ascertain the precise limits of the territory of the sheikhdom of
Abu Dhabi in the hinterland of the coastal strip. As a result it has been
established that the district known as A1 Aqal, the Sabkhat Matti salt marshes,
and the districts shown on the maps as Bainunah, Dhafrah and Quiat-ai-Liwa,
all of which lie outside the area predominantly covered by the Ahl Murra tribe,
are within the historic possessions of the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi. His Majesty s
Government are accordingly unable to agree to the eastward prolongation of the
proposed boundary being carried as near to the sea coast as suggested in the
Saudi memorandum of the 3rd April, since this would m their opinion, be
incompatible with their obligation to protect the rights of the Sheikh of
\bu Dhabi Similarly, they can find no justification for the extension o± the
claims of King Abduf Aziz as far east as meridian 56° since this would result
in the inclusion in Saudi territory of the steppe country beyond the Great bands
and of the grazing grounds of tribes owing allegiance either to the Sheikh ot
Abu Dhabi or to the Sultan of Muscat.
12 You will then inform King Abdul Aziz that the tribal position on the
southern fringe of the Ruba-al-Khali desert and in the northern part of the
Hadhramaut has also been the subject of detailed remvestigation smce the state
ment of his boundary claim was received last April. As a result His Majesty s
Government are satisfied that the tribes depending on the Aden Protectorate—and
hi particular the A1 Saiar, A1 Manahil, Ahl Kathir and Ahl Mahra-nornially
ran-e not only to the edge of the Great Sands between parallels 17 and 19
North, but for some little distance into the sands themse ves. You should explain
that His Majesty’s Government were informed by Fuad Bey Hamza, during the
course of the conversations in London last summer, that King Abdul Aziz did no
claim the allegiance of these tribes, and their enquiries have now definitely shown
that the southern and south-eastern limits of the district predominantly
frequented by the Ahl Murra (which they understand to form the basis of the
Saudi claims in this area) do not extend to the edge of the sands, but he a
considerable distance to the north and north-west of the line claimed m the Saudi
memorandum^ then proceed formally to put forward the new offer which
His Majesty’s Government, in the light of the foregoing considerations, have now
resolved to make, emphasising once more that it is made with ever .Y de si r . e to meet
the wishes of King Abdul Aziz to the furthest possible extent, but adding m no
ambiguous terms that it represents a final concession which His Majestv s
Government will not be able to increase. I trust that you will thus dispel as far
as possible any impression in the King’s mind that, m now putting forward
proposals much more favourable to him than the two territorial concessions
already offered, His Majesty’s Government would be likely to yield still furthfei
in response to continued bargaining on his part. As you are aware, this is a
point to which 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. attach much importance. You should explain
that the new’ boundary which you are about to offer has been carefully wor ’
out and that, while'the geographical, historical and political considerations
mentioned in the preceding paragraphs have naturally been taken into full
consideration the new proposals also take account of the full and detailed mfor-
mation which His Majesty’s Government have now received from thmr local
authorities in Arabia regarding the wanderings and habitats of the Ahl Mmra
tribe In the light of this information His Majesty s Government are prepared
to a-ree in principle to recognise King Abdul Aziz’s claim to the allegiance of
the \hl Murra tribe, and they have endeavoured to align their proposed boundary
so as to include as far as possible within Saudi Arabia the grazing grounds
(“ dira”) exclusively or predominantly utilised by the various nomadic sections
14 As you are aware, 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. at Koweit has recently reported
that the Murra ‘‘ dira ” appears to be bounded on the north, east and south by a hne
running from a point south of Hofuf parallel to but inland from the neck o
the Qatar Peninsula; continuing in a south-easterly direction along the southern
edo-e of the Sabkhat Matti marsh ; turning south-south-east at the south-eastern
corner of the Sabkhat Matti; running thence straight across the Eastern Rub -al-
Khali as far as the Sabkhat Mijora (approximately at the intersection of meridian
VP E and parallel 20° N.); and thence sweeping westwards, within the southern
limit of the Great Sands, so as just to include the important group of wells at