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'CONFIDENTIAL 86/31 VOL. B.64 OIL IN ITS RELATION TO THE MIDDLE EAST' [‎206v] (417/578)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (285 folios). It was created in 11 Oct 1940-22 Aug 1945. 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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Agreement on Petroleum between the Government of the
tTtmttfd States of America and the Government of the
SZ kingdom ok Cheat Britain and Northern
Ireland.
Washington, 8th August, 1944.
Introductory Article.
1 .
The Government of the United States of America and the Government
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland whose
nationals hold, to a substantial extent jointly, rights to explore and develop
petroleum resources in other countries, recognise: —
That ample supplies of petroleum, available in international trade
to meet increasing marked demands, are essential for both the
security and economic well-being of nations;
That for the foreseeable future the petroleum resources of the world
are adequate to assure the availability of such supplies; _
That such supplies should be derived from the various producing
areas of the world with due consideration of such factors as
available reserves, sound engineering practices, relevant economic
factors, and the interests of producing and consuming countries,
and with a view to the full satisfaction of expanding demand;
4. That such supplies should be available in accordance with the
principles of the Atlantic Charter and in order to seive the needs
of collective security;
5. That the general adoption of these principles can best be promoted
by international agreement among all countries interested in
the petroleum trade whether as producers or consumers.
3.
Article I.
The two Governments agree that the development of petroleum resources
for international trade should be expanded in an orderly manner on a world
wide basis with due consideration of the factors set forth in paragraph 3
of the Introductory Article and within the framework of applicable laws
or concession contracts. To this end, and as a preliminary measure to
the calling of the international conference referred to in Article II below,
the two Governments will so direct their efforts, with respect to petroleum
resources in which rights are held or may be acquired by the nationals oj
either country: —
1. That, subject always to considerations of military security and to
the provisions of such arrangements for the preservation of peace
and prevention of aggression as may be in force, adequate supplies
of petroleum shall be available in international trade to the
nationals of all peaceable countries at fair prices and on a non-
discriminatory basis;
2. That the development of petroleum resources and the benefits received
therefrom by the producing countries shall be such as to encourage
the sound economic advancement of those countries;
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About this item

Content

The volume comprises correspondence and discussions regarding the economic and political situation in relation to oil in the Middle East during and immediately after the Second World War. At the centre of the discussions are talks which took place in Washington DC between US and UK government officials looking at the global importance of oil, which focused particularly on oil in the Middle East.

The talks concluded with the production of a memorandum of understanding which was published 8 August 1944 as the Agreement on Petroleum between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, otherwise known as the Anglo-American Oil Agreement (1945).

Also included in the volume is correspondence between 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. (Charles Geoffrey Prior), the Secretary to the Government of India, External Affairs Department (Olaf Kirkpatrick Caroe), 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. , and His Majesty’s Minister at Jeddah (Stanley Jordan) regarding two proposed pipelines. The first being the ‘trans-arabian pipeline’ which it was proposed would link the Middle East to the Mediterranean. The proposal was initially postponed owing to heavy criticism of it in the United States press but was later taken up by the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO). The second proposal from the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) and the California Arabian Standard Oil Company (CASOC, later renamed ARAMCO) was for a pipeline to take crude oil from Dhahran [Aẓ-Ẓahrān], Saudi Arabia to the BAPCO refinery at Bahrain.

Also included is correspondence between the Chief Local Representative for BAPCO (Milton H Lipp, Ward P Anderson) and the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave) regarding possible sites for the pipeline and the reservation of required land. Further discussion centred on the question of the eastern frontier of Saudi Arabia, which was in dispute, and whether His Majesty’s Government should look to tackle the matter at that time with the Saudi Arab Government or wait until the progress of the oil companies required its resolution. Jabal Naksh and Khor-al-Odaid [Khawr al ‘Udayd], which were claimed by Qatar and Abu Dhabi respectively, and whose claims were supported by His Majesty’s Government but contested by Saudi Arabia were discussed as being key areas in the frontier dispute.

Another matter discussed in the volume was a visit paid by the Mission of the Petroleum Reserves Corporation to the Middle East. The Mission’s purpose was to review resources of petroleum in the Middle East and its itinerary included visits to Kuwait, Dhahran, and Bahrain. The mission was headed by Everette Lee Degoyler and also included the eminent geologists and petroleum experts Dr George Martin Lees, William Embry Wrather, and John Herhold Murrell.

Other matters touched on in the volume include a request by ARAMCO to undertake a hydrographic survey of the coast line of the Kuwait Neutral Zone; the possibility of resuming oil field production in Qatar and Kuwait provided the necessary equipment could be obtained from the USA; articles published in American journals and newspapers regarding the global oil situation and oil in the Middle East; and a visit paid by Major Frank Holmes to Kuwait in 1944.

Also included in the volume are a number of notes and memorandums relating to oil in the Middle East:

A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 272-283.

Extent and format
1 volume (285 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a table of contents on folio 5 comprising of subject headings and page references. The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear 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 287; 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 7-270; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'CONFIDENTIAL 86/31 VOL. B.64 OIL IN ITS RELATION TO THE MIDDLE EAST' [‎206v] (417/578), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/700, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100086676321.0x000012> [accessed 25 April 2024]

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