Coll 30/87(2) Part II 'Qatar: Oil Concession - P.C.L.'s Operations.' [‎125r] (252/603)

V
M.884/47.
125)
Admiralty,
S.'f.l.
I °i May , 1947,
Whitehall 9000.
Ext^^sion 808.
fclC.7£T
My dear Harrison,
I regret the delay in replying to’your"Te“t"t' 0 i ri No.
Ext. 26l/47 of the 15th February concerning the division of
the waters between Bahrein and Qatar. I am sure however you
will realise that this is a novel and complicated subject.
2. The Board considers that the answers to the questions
in paragraph 12 of your letter are as follows:~
(a) The median line should be based on the main
configuration of the coastlines since we are dealing
here with the logical extension of the continent and
minor reefs and shelves on the sea bed’ have no
bearing on the main principle.
(to) This principle is not affected toy the existence
of enclave groups of unimportant islets since it is
still a question of finding a median line between
the main coastlines and the fact that the power
owning the land on the opposite side has established
a valid claim to an islet near the other coast is
not relevant.
(c) Each group of small islets should have its own
territorial waters assessed on the usual principles.
A group of islets clearly cannot have a continental
shelf of its own, but equally the power owning the
islet must have jurisdication over the maritime
belt surrounding them.
(d) The question of the drying patches off the south
east coast of Bahrein is really a matter for you and
the Foreign Office. If sovereignty is not claimed
over these - and in view of the median line proposed
on the drawings which you sent us it would appear that
it is not - they must be discounted. Otherwise it is
only necessary to say that if sovereignty is
effectively claimed over such banks they should be
treated as in (c) above.
5. In any agreement on this subject we feel that the
assigned positions of (a) the North Bitra Light Buoy and (b)
the Bahrein Light Vessel should be further defined by bearing
and distance, (a) 06l-g-° true 15.20 nautical miles, and (b)
0464 ° true 28.05 nautical miles from 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. 's
Flagstaff, Latitude 26° 14 '.1 N, longitude 50° 55'.2 E (approx),
as the positions of floating marks are subject to frequent
alteration. The other points on the green pecked line should
be similarly defined as K 104° true 9.53 nautical miles and
M 180° true 18.03 nautical miles, from the triangulation Station
No. 102 on Has al Barr. v
■" yg:'.
/4 . .....
F.A.K. Harrison, Esq.,
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. ,
London, S.W.l.
GOBD/PJF