'File 8/3 MUSCAT STATE AFFAIRS: GWADUR/KALAT RELATIONS – SALE OF GWADUR' [‎3r] (5/60)

' SfiCBSI (3>
D.O. No.2Q2«S the 22ndJawuary > 1948
Please refer to your deal-official letter No.Ext.83/48
dated the 12th J«nuary 9 1948, regardlnc Gwadur. r ^,
2. This has crossed ay deal-official letters Kes.162-8 and
163-S of the 19th January in which I have discussed aaengst other
things the status of Kalat and the Gvadur-Kalat boundary.
3. Fell's allegation that Gwadur is uded for a "black aarket
and sauggling trade" are almost certainly true. It was so used
throughout the war. Its use as such however is almost certainly
to the benefit of the surrounding tribes and from what I know of
thea they are aost unlikely ef their own accord to aake an attack
on Gwadur. Fell's warning therefore can only be interpreted as
a threat by the Khan of Kalat to eaulate the example the Pakistan
authorities have given hla in Kashmir and occupy Gwadur by force if
the Sultan refuses to cede it.
4. I think it unlikely in any case that the Khan will endeavour
to implement his threst but if he were to do sc the Sultan would
almost certainly appeal to us for help and would be aost resentful
if we refused to give it, especially as unless some declaration to
the contrary has been made in the meanwhile he cannot fail to
regard Kalat as being within the British Commonwealth.
5. In view of our present and possible future commitments at
Gwadur e.g. the installation of a wireless station c.f. ay demi-
official letter No.2257-S dated the 30th Doceaber f 1947 f I think
that as soon as the Sultan returns to Muscat we ought to inform hia
that we have reason to believe that Kalat State may approach hla
direct with a proposal for the sale of Gwadur and ask hi* what his
attitude is likely to be in such circumstances. The Sultan will
probably enquire what our views on the subject are, especially as,
under the Agreement of 1891 printed as No.XVII at page 317 of
Altchlson Vol.XI he cannot cede any part of his territory save to
the British Government, and although I previously stressed the
importance of our retaining seme kind of foot-hold in Gwadur, unless
we are prepared to give him a guarantee against aggression 1 think
we shall have to reply that the matter Is one which we are willing
to leave entirely to hia to decide and that we have no strong views
either way.
6. It is also for consideration whether we ought not to warn
the Sultan that we have heard that the Khan is contemplating using
force, without disclosing the source of our information, so as to
give hi* a chance of asking arrangements for its protection e.g. by
sending a detachment of the Muscat Infantry there as he has only
about 20 armed Arab guards on the spot at present. The disadvant
age of this is that the Sultan may at once say that he regards us as
responsible for preventing any invasion from Kalat, which would plac
us in an embarrassing position# On the whole 1 am inclined to say
nothing to hia on the subject at present, the more so as I am doubt
ful if the threat need be regarded very seriously.
7. 1 should be grateful for early instructions in order that
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. may if necessary approach the 3ultan on the
subject as soon as he retux-ns from Dhcfar at the end of February or
beginning of March.
8. I am sending copies of this letter to Graffety-Salth and
Stewart.
E.P. Donaldson, Esquire. C.M.G..
Commonwealth Belations Office,
Sd/- W.R. Hay.
•LB*