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Coll 17/18(1) 'Smuggling between Kuwait and Iraq' [‎56r] (116/1354)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (673 folios). It was created in 28 Jul 1932-15 Jun 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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2011/127/
91.
blockade of his territories, in other words "to let natters
cone to a head”. Colonel Fowle concluded by proposing to
address a letter to the Sheikh recapitulating the position,
warning him that there was danger of the Iraqis taking vigorous
counter measures to which it would not be possible for His
Majesty’s Government to object, and asking him whether in these
circumstances he wished to make any advance on his previous
proposals. Colonel Fovle, supported by the Government of India
saw objection to a proposal by Sir F. Itaphrys that he should
visit Bagdad and negotiate on the matter without the Sheikh's
authorisation.
12. The negotiations had clearly come to a deadlock and
the problem was reviewed at an interdepartmental meeting on
February 5, 1955, It was pointed, out by Mr. Rendel at tue
meeting that the first thing was to provide the necessary
administrative machinery at Koweit to operate any scheme for
customs control which sight be devised and that it seemed
essential for this purpose to secure the appointment of a
British Director of the Koweit customs. The Sheikh might be
informed that such an appointment was a necessary condition of
His Majesty's Government helping him to solve the smuggling
problem, and that he should be warned that he would be left to
face Iraqi hostility alone if he refused. 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.
representative drew attention to the very serious situation
which would arise if the Sheikh proved obstinate and Iraq
actually instituted her threatened reprisals; sooner or later
His Majesty's Government would be obliged, to intervene to re
establish good relations between the two countries. The India
Office favoured the idea of a British customs Director, and^
suggested as a possible solution an extension of the Sheikh's
^manifest" .. ♦ • *

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Content

The volume contains papers regarding the alleged smuggling of goods from Kuwait to Iraq, and attempts to broker Often a local commercial agent in the Gulf who regularly performed duties of intelligence gathering and political representation. an agreement between the Shaikh of Kuwait (Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ) and the Government of Iraq with regards to importation restrictions, customs appointments and effective frontier controls. It consists of correspondence between the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, 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 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 Kuwait, HM High Commissioner (and later Ambassador) at Baghdad, as well as communications received from Al Sabah and representatives of the Government of Iraq.

The file opens with correspondence concerning the activities of Kuwaiti water boats collecting drinking water at various points along the Shatt el-Arab: the Government of Iraq complained that the boats were not stopping at designated calling points, and that the boats were engaged in smuggling, while the Shaikh of Kuwait asked for the calling point requirement to be rescinded as it was causing interruptions to the water supply. The correspondence also documents instances where Iraqi customs barges had fired on Kuwaiti boats, killing and injuring merchants.

The bulk of the correspondence concerns efforts by HM Ambassador at Iraq, 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. , and 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 Kuwait, to broker Often a local commercial agent in the Gulf who regularly performed duties of intelligence gathering and political representation. an agreement between the two parties. Several conferences were arranged with a view to discussing the Iraqi proposals, viz: that a British Customs Director be appointed at Kuwait to oversee the importation of certain commodities (principally sugar, tea, matches, coffee, tobacco, cigarettes, and cigarette papers); and that the Shaikh co-operate with Iraqi efforts to institute an effective frontier control and customs cordon.

In addition to correspondence, the volume includes the following minutes and reports:

The volume includes dividers which give lists of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. These are placed at the end of the correspondence (folios 4-5).

Extent and format
1 volume (673 folios)
Arrangement

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 675; 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 4-672; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 17/18(1) 'Smuggling between Kuwait and Iraq' [‎56r] (116/1354), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2878, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100063011512.0x000075> [accessed 25 April 2024]

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