Coll 30/18(1) 'Persian Gulf: Bahrein, Customs dues on goods in transit; attitude of Ibn Saud' [‎524v] (1053/1162)

lidating that influence on the Arab littm.nl
al of the headquarters of the Political
those efforts succeed, of consol]
the possibility that the removal 81 LI U i uie rontica! I? 'A
from Bn shire may have to be considered, all combine to invest Ibih/' m!
an importance very substantially greater than in 1908 from •
of His Majesty’s Government. stan,lp 0 , m
43. On the assumption, then, that Imperial considerations our r,l•
to the Sheikh apart, make it desirable for Ills Majesty’s Govermim t'T
maintain and consolidate their position in Bahrein, the question arises ,f
how this is to he achieved. The matter is one which call,; f,,, ,
handling On the one hand. Persia has appealed to the League on the
Council of which she is now represented, and there is a possibility ’that sh»
may endeavour to make a compromise on Bahrein a condition "precedent
to agreement with His Majesty’s Government on other Gulf questions ’ 0
the other hand, it appears that a compromise, even on the basis of the
maintenance of the statu, quo, would have a definitely unsettling effect on the
Sheikhs, who are suspicious that His Majesty’s Government mav use them
as pawns to secure concessions from Persia of value to Great Britain only ■
that a decision which will definitely dispose internationally of the Persian
claim is therefore desirable : and that, while the deposed Sheikh Isa remains
sensitive regarding the maintenance of internal independence, the de facto
ruler, his heir, and his brother, are anxious, in the face of Persian claims to
admit to the full the protection of Great Britain. It mav perhaps be assumed
that if the Persian claim could he disposed of before His Majesty’s
Government had finally consolidated their position, much stronger
opposition to such consolidation might bo expected from the ruling family,
and this appears to make it desirable to seize the present opportunity to
establish the British position once for all.
. 44 * The simplest method of at once asserting internationally the British
view of the status of Bahrein and establishing the position in the islands
el f 18 Majesty’s Government vis-d-vis the Sheikh, would probablv on the
whole be the conclusion of a formal treaty of protect,ion, a course under
consideration in India (see para. 34 above) at the time of the reassert ion of
t le i ersian claim last year. Had Persia been prepared to abandon her claim
m ( e etence to His Majesty’s Government, the Treaty with Bahrein could
lay' ymi concluded simultaneously with its abandonment. But as she is
undoubtedly not prepared to compromise, such a treaty could only be
com 11 ded in the face of Persian protests to the League and elsewhere,
am t ic wider considerations of international policy involved in its
com usion would call for close examination before a decision is taken
regarding it.
_ An alternative method of solution might be arbitration, to which various
objections are obvious.
. - F, T,M Points . re * erre( l 1° m connection with Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Sub-Committee.
, e . P 0,,i ts in connection with Bahrein which have been specifically
mentioned in connection with the deliberations of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Sub*
Gommittee are:—
(u) f ei sian claims to suzerainty—degree of control to be exercised by
q 18 ^ a J est ^ s Government (P.G. (3, 2 (a) (12)).
' P ‘Steps necessary on the A'orth Arabian coast in connection with the
protection of the pearl-fisheries at Bahrein (P.G. C, 2 (c) (3)).
(c) Question of extent to which His Majesty’s Government should
mciease or decrease interest taken and control exercised by them
in Bahrein (P.G. 6, 2 (c) (5) ).
(h) \\ hethei the existing coaling stations at Kishmand Henjam can
without disadvantage be moved to Bahrein (P.G. 1st Minutes.
Conclusions).
that the
rp, n Views expressed by Government of India.
. y ie Government of India have expressed the view unu v"-
maintenance of the independence of Bahrein, as of Muscat, Koweit, and the
* U . cia r , ie Sj 18 3iecess ary. “Our veiled protectorate over them suffices
c gainst Luropean encroachments. So long as we do not alienate
. . . it suffices also against encroachnieu s
ae a a ai State. At need it can be more explicitly asserted.’
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. , " j. G. L-
8th October 1928.