"F-82 82/27 I: نفط قطر" [و‎‎١‎٦‎٠] (٧٣٠/٣٤٤)

Hxtract paragraphs 6 and 7 of India Office
Memorandum dated the 2nd June
/ 1933.
^0
C. Qatar cotAeessiQn > Mr» Heam alluded to the die-
cussion which had recently taker place about Q^atar. I
said that • had "beer on leave during this meeting and v/as
not fully aware of the position, but a brief discussion
took place♦ Mr, Hearn, who had previously referred to the
possibility of some arrangement between the A^^CUC. and the
Gulf Oil Company, under which the exploitation of the
Kuwait conceBslon, if it -went to the , should be
entirely conducted by the A.P.O.C., the American interests
having a share in distribution only, and had also referred
to the recent acquisition of the Kasa concession by the
Standard Oil Company, hinted-at possible difficulties over
safeguards in connection with qatar, particularly having
regard to the international interests represented on the
tr&q Petroleum Company. "he ^rench, in particular, might
see considerable difficulty about any right of pre-euiption
in the event of war.
7. I said that, while I did not know what had taken place
in the previous discussions, it v/as only fair to say that,
so far as could be judged, the question of safeguards in
respect of the Q^atar area was likely t o be of great import-
arce. Having regard to the position of the Shaikh, his
treaty commitments and possible difficulties about juris
diction, it would be unfair to hold out any hope that they
were likely to be easy to surmount. A different position
might arise, indeed, if the A-P.O.C. v/ere to develop the
Qatar concession, foreign companies having a distributing
interest only and all personnel, etc. being British.
(Sd«) ^.(r.Laithwai te.
^nd June 1933.