File 4535/1928 Pt 8 ‘ – PERSIAN GULF – QUESTION OF ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTECTORATES OVER KOWEIT, BAHREIN, MUSCAT, TRUCIAL COAST.’ [‎46r] (85/194)

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of une principality against .ikhwan raiders and against a
possibly hostile Ibn Saud would be a serious undertaking,
while internationally the establishment of a Protectorate
might be represented as an unpleasant instance of our
aggressive imperialist policy. Much the better course
seems to leave matters as they are, to do our uLmost to
prevent Koweit being identified with Iraq, and to leave
the question 01 a protectorate until its consideration is
really necessitated by developments.
As regards the third point referred to in
paragraph 1 above, iu will be seen from the copy of
telegraphic correspondence between Simla and Bushire
received by yesterday’s mail that the foreign Department
have already sounded 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. on Sir Robert
live's suggestion (made in the discussion in the C.I.D. in-
July last, copy oi the record of which was sent privately,
in accordance with the usual procedure, to the Viceroy),
that the right to maintain in Bahrein some sort of Agent
might be granted to Persia as a face-saving concession in
return for the aDandonrnent of her claims to suzerainty.
inG viceroy in the private telegram despatched last night
was asked *to consider this point, and to report on it if
possible before next Monday's meeting. It seems doubtful,
however, whether the Government of India will be able to
add anything of substance to the comments on the point
contained in Sir Lionel Haworth's telegram of 23rd
September, and I suggest therefore that this might
immediately ue circulated to the Sub-Committee with a note
that a further report had been called for; that the
objections stated by 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. to the course
m question were in our view substantial, and that subject
to any further comment which might be received from India
we were inclined to regard them as a serious obstacle to
the/