'الملف 10/3 IV الامتياز النفطي بقطر' [و‎‎٩‎٢] (٥٣٤/٢١٢)

the standing example of Trinidad where not less than 5Qfj
of the oil had to be refined locally, Mr, Agnew ,
however, thought that a modern Agreement made in London
might have greatvaight, and he mentioned that British
Companies were coming up against this difficulty more
and more in their relations with foreign countries.
They would rather give H .M .G. their safeguard in some
other way than in a foimal public document, Mr , Seal
said that the Admiralty felt that in Qatar they might go
rather further in insisting on their refining desiderata
than in Koweit though, of course, they would not press
the Company beyond reason. Mr. Agnew suggested as a
possible solution that the I.P.O. might be a sired to give
H.M,G. a letter saying that the Company would be prepared
at all times to discuss with H.M.G, the question of
refining and that H.M,G, would have the right as soon as
production in Qatar reached an amount sufficient to
justify a modern refining unit to a si-: the Company to
erect a refinery. lie explained that this would mean the
erection of a refinery when production reached say
tons a day or 700,000 tons a year. They would expect
H.M.G. to treat them reasonably in regard do vhis
obligation if it proved impossible to ilnd a martab
for the oil. At all costs he wished to avoid the
appearance of a refining clause in a formal Agreement,
Sir Louis Kershaw asked whether this letter woula be
obtained before the Government Agreement was signed.
Mr. Agnew said he thought it would bo best that the letter
should be sent say a month after the signature of the
Government Agreement but that a guarantee might be obtained
before signature of the Agreement that such a letter
would/