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Coll 30/124A 'Koweit (Neutral Zone) Oil Concession: Negotiations with Petroleum Concessions Ltd.' [‎157r] (313/883)

The record is made up of 1 file (440 folios). It was created in 1 Jan 1945-5 Dec 1949. 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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Lepper about the Burma Oil Company-*s proposed
concession with the Sheikh of Koweit covering his
rights in the neutral zone and we think that you
may be interested to have the opinion of our legal
adviser on this subject. It is as follows:-
A
At meetings held at the Foreign Office in 1934
with the Deputy Saudi Arabian Minister for Foreign
Affairs the view of the Foreign Office was expressed
that no part of the oil concession in the Neutral
Zone could be separately granted by either of the
rulers concerned, but only jointly by both rulers.
The Saudi Arabian representative agreed that his
Government was not free to dispose of the concession
or any part of it except in agreement with the
Sheikh of Koweit.
F.A.K.
In fact the Seudi Arabian Government has granted
to the California-Arabian Standard Oil Company
a concession to the extent of. all the Goverment’s
"right, title and interest now or hereafter" in the
Neutral Zone and that, I think I am right in saying,
j without reference to or the concurrence of the
v Sheikh of Koweit. possibly the views of the Foreign
Office in 1934 were wrong and the Saudi Arabian
Government did not thereby exceed their powers under
the 1922 Agreement, and I think their action would
now justify the Sheikh of Koweit in making a
similar concession without reference to Ibn
Saud but on the other hand I am sure that the terms of
’ /the
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. .

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Content

The file concerns negotiations over oil concession rights in the Koweit [Kuwait] Neutral Zone. The Shaikh of Kuwait [Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ] exercised joint control over the Neutral Zone with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Shaikh of Kuwait was likely to seek the approval of the British Government before granting a concession in the Neutral Zone. The papers contain correspondence from some of the oil companies involved, principally the Burmah Oil Company and Petroleum Concessions Limited, details of other (United States) companies involved in negotiations, and correspondence and memoranda from 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. , Foreign Office, Ministry of Fuel and Power, 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. , Kuwait, and 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. .

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.

Extent and format
1 file (440 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 441; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 6-440; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. 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 30/124A 'Koweit (Neutral Zone) Oil Concession: Negotiations with Petroleum Concessions Ltd.' [‎157r] (313/883), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3857, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100056588373.0x000074> [accessed 21 August 2026]

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