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Coll 30/21 'Persian Gulf: Koweit. Blockade by Ibn Saud. Koweit-Nejd Relations' [‎168r] (346/1142)

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The record is made up of 1 file (562 folios). It was created in 15 Mar 1932-13 May 1935. 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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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
SECRET.
(14377)
Relations between His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom and
the Sheikh of Koweit.
[E 6077/16/91]
1 .—Final Record of a Meeting held at the Foreign Office, on October 5, 1933.
THE following were present at the meeting :—
Mr. G. W. Rendel (in the Chair), Foreign Office.
Mr. K. R. Johnstone, Foreign Office.
Sir A. Ryan, His Majesty’s Minister at Jedda.
Lieutenant-Colonel T. C. Fowle, 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. .
Mr. J. G. Laithwaite, 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. .
The meeting had before it Sir Andrew Ryan's note of the 16th August,
regarding the attitude of King Ibn Saud towards Koweit (see Appendix A).
Mr. Rendel outlined the present political situation of Koweit. The Sheikh
was tied to His Majesty’s Government by his treaty engagements, but at the same
time was being courted both by Ibn Saud and by Iraq. It was clear that the
sheikhdom was not in a position which in the ordinary way would enable it to
stand alone either as a political or as an economic entity, and that it must thcn^-
fore depend on some stronger Power. He understood that it was the policy oi His
Majesty’s Government, in view of the strategic importance of Koweit, not to allow
it to be absorbed by any foreign Power, but, so far as was possible, to maintain
their present treaty relationship with the Sheikh.
Mr. Laithwaite suggested that Koweit was at the present moment of more
vital importance to His Majesty’s Government than it had been at any UmB’ since
it had bulked so prominently as the terminus of the Bagdad Railway betore the
war This was the result first of the development of the air route to India and
Australia, which had made the Gulf as important imperially from the air stand
point as was the Suez Canal for naval reasons, and, secondly, owing to the expira
tion of the mandatory regime in Iraq and the uncertainty of the future relations
of His Majesty’s Government with that country. So long as Iraq had been under
British control, there had been a natural tendency to give it prior consideration
and the less important question of Koweit had been kept comparatively m the
background. But now that Iraq had attained full independence, the position was
changed and Koweit had once again assumed major importance. Geographically,
Koweit occupied a key position at the head of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and one from
which the Gulf could be controlled. In the event of war we could probably safely
assume that Koweit would be on our side and her territory would afford us a base
of operations of definite value, to the use of which, on the assumption m question,
no objection could be raised on the ground that we were violating her neutrality.
Further with the development of the Arabian coast air route to the East Koweit
was likely to prove more and more vital as a station on that route, especially if om
relations with Iraq should at any time become so strained that we were unable to
rely on the use of the Iraqi aerodromes for the purposes of that route.
Colonel Fowle suggested that in point of fact it might one day be possible to
avoid the use of Iraq altogether, and fly direct from Palestine to Koweit, as the
range of the aircraft using the Arabian route increased.
Mr. Rendel concurred with Mr. Laithwaite's estimate of the position as
regards Iraq. In view of recent events m Iraq it was possible that om who le
relationship"with that country might have to be modified, and he considered that
both the future of the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty and of the position of the Royal A i
Force in Iraq must be regarded as doubtful. On the general point at issue, he
7329 [9823]
B

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Content

This volume contains correspondence between British officials regarding a trade blockade that was imposed on Kuwait by the King of Saudi Arabia, Ibn Sa'ud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd]. In addition to this specific topic, the correspondence also contains lengthy discussions regarding Britain's relations with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait more broadly.

As well as internal correspondence between British officials (primarily Britain's Minister in Jeddah, officials at the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Kuwait, the Political 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. in Bushire, 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 Foreign Office), the volume also contains translated copies of letters that were sent to British officials by Ibn Sa'ud, two of his close advisors (Yusuf Yassin and Fuad Hamza) and the Ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah.

It also contains a number of extracts from Kuwait Intelligence Summaries produced by the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Kuwait and the following documents:

  • 'Draft Note of a meeting held at the Foreign Office on Monday, October 8th [1934], regarding the Claims of the Sheikh of Kuwait Against King Ibn Saud' (folios 109-110)
  • 'Final Record of Meeting on Matters affecting Kuwait' 8 June 1934 (folios 132-133)
  • 'Final Record of a Meeting held at the Foreign Office on October 5 [1933] to Discuss Relations Between His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and the Sheikh of Koweit' (folios 148-154)
  • 'Ibn Saud's attitude towards Kowait' by Sir Andrew Ryan, 16 August 1933 (folios 202-206)
  • 'Note on the Contraband Problem of Iraq with Her Neighbours, and in Particular How it Affects Kuwait' by 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. in Kuwait, Harold Richard Patrick Dickson, 29 May 1933 (folios 259-269)
  • 'Record of an Interdepartmental Meeting held at the Foreign Office on the 28th April, 1933, to consider the question of the blockade of Koweit by King Ibn Saud' (folios 292-295)
  • 'A Note on the present position of Trade between Iraq and Najd' (folios 420-421)
  • 'Notes on his Excellency Shaikh Ahmad's Trip to Riath [Riyadh]', 1932 (folios 487-496)
  • 'Draft Record of a Meeting Held at the Foreign Office on August 12th, 1931, to Consider Certain Questions Connected with Koweit' (folios 543-562).

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

Extent and format
1 file (562 folios)
Arrangement

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 562; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

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English in Latin script
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Coll 30/21 'Persian Gulf: Koweit. Blockade by Ibn Saud. Koweit-Nejd Relations' [‎168r] (346/1142), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3732, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100050207067.0x000093> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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