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Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.' [‎151r] (301/361)

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The record is made up of 1 file (179 folios). It was created in 29 Apr 1936-15 Oct 1942. It was written in English and Arabic. 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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(6010) Wt.25950/235 10,000
Hawar/
9/38 A.&E.W.Ltd. Gp.685
P.z.2412/38
Minute Paper.
POLITICAL
Department.
* i.e. outside the
generally accepted
3 mile limit.
In considering what portion of the Bahrein
’’unallotted area” they should apply for, Petroleum
Concessions Ltd. have taken into account the known
desire of the Sheikh to divide the area between their
Company and the Bahrein Petroleum Company. It is for
this reason that they have for the moment given up the
idea of applying for the whole of the "unallotted area".
2. Maps showing the two a reas which they hope to
obtain are attached at the back of the draft concession;
for ease of reference I attach a rough sketch map
showing the total area covered by the two maps.
3. The proposed concession area includes certain
*
non-territorial waters, and it is suggested that we
should seek the advice of the Foreign Cffice as to
whether there is any objection to this.
4. Apart from a number of very small islands and
reefs, the proposed concession area also includes the
following islands;-
(a) Fasht al Jarin and Khor Fasht, which lie to
the North of the Bahrein Island;
(b) Fasht Dibal, which lies to the North-East of
the main Bahrein Island; and
(c) the Hawar group of islands, which lie South-East
of the main Bahrein Island off the coast of
Qatar.
5. All the above are claimed by the Bahrein
Government. The Ruler of Qatar has not been consulted
in the matter, but 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. , Bahrein,
considers it possible that he might claim Fasht Dibal
and that it is practically certain that he would claim
the Hawar group. As regards the latter, it will be
recalled that the question of the ownership of the

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Content

The file concerns the disputed claims of the rulers of Bahrain and Qatar to sovereignty over the Hawar Islands. The issue arose afresh in 1936 in response to a request from Petroleum Concessions Limited to settle the issue of ownership, in order that the Company could claim oil concession rights over the island as part of the concession not previously allocated to the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) (the Bahrain Unallotted Area).

The papers contain statements of evidence on both sides, and correspondence discussing the question from 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 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. , Bahrain; the Foreign Office; Petroleum Concessions Limited; the Government of Bahrain; and the two rulers concerned. The British Government decided in 1939, after examining the evidence, that the islands belonged to Bahrain (folio 44). The papers show that 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. , Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior, challenged the validity of this judgement in 1941, stating that the case had been decided 'according to western ideas, and no allowance has been made for local custom and sentiment' (folios 6-8). However, a subsequent letter on the subject from the Government of India to 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. concluded that it was then too late to reverse the decision (folio 4).

The Arabic language content of the papers consists of approximately five folios; these include photographs of judgements (with translation, folios 57-58) submitted by the Government of Bahrain to the British Government, showing that the Bahrain Court had exercised jurisdiction in legal cases concerning residents of Hawar (folios 130-133).

The file also includes photographs of places in Hawar (folios 126-127).

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 (179 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 181; 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. Two additional foliation sequences are also present in parallel between ff 3-179, and ff 48-88; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.' [‎151r] (301/361), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3895, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100076666399.0x000068> [accessed 12 May 2024]

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