"ملف ٨٢/٢٧ III (F 84) شركة النفط الأنجلو فارسية أ.ب.و.ك: نفط قطر" [ظ‎‎٧‎٣] (٦٣٨/١٤٤)

Position of Area lying between Base of Qatar Peninsula and Blue Line of
Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1913.
10. If, in these circumstances, it is accepted that the southern boundary of ™
should be a line running via or to the north of Sakak more or less south-east frolj '
Dohat-as-Salwa or a point slightly to the north of Dohat-as-Salwa to a point to the
north of the Khor-al-'Odeid, the difficult question arises of the position of the country
lying between such a line and the blue line of the Anglo-Turkish Convention of'1913,
Importance of 'Maintaining the Blue Line.
.on
11. On the one hand, it appears definitely important if possible to maintain
blue line laid down in the unratified Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1913 as against
Ibn Saud or any other future ruler of this part of Arabia. While the 1913 Conventii
was never ratified, the blue line at any rate represents the agreement reached at
time between Turkey and His Majesty's Government as to the limits of Turkisl
authority in northern Arabia and on the Persian Gulf, and in dealing with Ibn Sad
as the successor in title to the Turks we can, it would seem, not unreasonably tab ^
our stand on it. The difficulties of finding any satisfactory substitute are patent
The undesirability of giving Ibn Saud, in the absence of any definite eastern boundary
to his territories, an excuse for territorial expansion (as distinct from the exercise,
at present, of an informal influence and the receipt from our Arab clients of payments
which we do not recognise and the existence of which we ignore) in the hinterlandol
the Trucial Coast and of Muscat is equally clear. Such expansion would clearlj
involve a risk either of his coming into conflict with the local rulers, whose treat]
relations with His Majesty's Government he has formally iecognised, or of i
establishing an influence in the Sheikhdoms in question ^so powerful as to
embarrassing from our point of view.
Disadvantages of Maintenance of the Blue Line while fixing Southern Boundart
of Qatar at the Base of the Qatar Peninsula.
12. At the same time, important on general grounds, for the reasons given, as
the maintenance of the blue line appears to be, the fact must be faced that in tlit
present case, if we continue to regard it as the eastern boundary of Ibn Saud's territoir,
and if, as suggested, we accept a southern boundary ior Qatar running roughly across
the base of tne Qatar I en insula, a not inconsiderable area lying between the two
States, and peopled by migratory Bedouin tribes, will be left in an indeterminate
political position. There is a possibility that the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi, who has in
the past exercised a wide influence, and made tribal alliances of his own, in tie
Irucial hinterland-c/. Sir P. Cox's letter No. 176 of 28th June 1904—might prefer
some claim to srtch air area. But, though on this point further information will I
song it Irom the Resident, there seems little evidence of any active- interest on tlie
part ot Ahu Dhahi m any area to the west of 'Aqal. Assuming that no such claim
exists, or could be substantiated, the alternatives are to recognise the area as
be.ongirig to Ibn Saud ; to recognise it as belonging to the Sheikh of Qatar; or»
regard it as a political no-man s land. '
13. If we recognised it as belonging to Ibn Saud we could, if necessary, call up
him to keep Bedouin raids into Qatar from it under control. But such recogniw
Ton i n Hon m f er t y ? m< ; 0 ' 1S,Steilt W V th tlie maintenance of the bine line of the 1®
Eronff h?n 'wnr] iiTit ln t™ 6 ? 10 ^ ' 1 ' 88 stated above . the objections appear to J
or Oitar md Abu i ti p' 0 ! . a 01 " la J acceptance of Saudi sovereignty to the borde"
or Qatar and Abu Dhabi which might well prove embarrassing. I
iustified If in 0 ev t i e rf <?tller ,v. ha f d ii is attribllted ^ the Sheikh of Qatar, me should 1*
activities withm its h^nits? Bi t^uTan Ttt^h't' ^ H ^ ft
a substantial area which she does not f u a h ttnbutl011 w0l ' ld ^ me f^ « iv f Q „j
extend the limits nf l^i -iv . f • P ast , a PP e ^ r to have claimed, but would
with the erant of an nd ^ 1 ^ . 01 Protection which we may undertake in connectioB
rrir," n:rr.r fa** —j-*»- a
in 0, 0. VS olt S U—'yT
developments it seems wiser tn lirr.it occupy it. .but penaing =
the area recognised by us as Qatar. OUr ' cominltmeuts and any extension"
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