"ملف ٨٢/٢٧ III (F 84) شركة النفط الأنجلو فارسية أ.ب.و.ك: نفط قطر" [و‎‎١‎٠‎٨] (٦٣٨/٢١٣)

644.
Telegram XX* No. 644. Dated 17th March 1934o
, Viceroy (F^ & P. Department) New Delhi.
To Secretary of State for India, London.
(0opy to Res ident, Bushi re),
(Hepeated to M i nistar, - j edd^) -
Your telegram No.715 of 15th March, Qatar Boundary,
2 0 We have discussed matter with Fowle who has already
sent you his views by Express Letter despatched by Air Mail
from Bahrain on 16th Marchu This snouid reach London on
21st and we recommend that, consideration by Middle East
Gomrnittee should be postponed until that communication has
been received and cons ideredo As Fowle points out (vide
his telegram T.53) he cannot see Sheikh again until 31st
March so there is no immediate hurry about a decision,
expects then to elicit Shaikh s own views about his boundary
of which we have still no precise information. We feel that
when these are known it will be easier for His Majesty ? s
G-overnment to come to a final decision both as to the extent
of their own commitments ? if guarantee of protection is
given and also as to the policy to be adopted towards Ibn
Saud e
3 e Meanwhile we submit following observations as r^oU^t
of our discussions with Fowle
(a) Although we recognize the force of Hyan s objection
to proposals in India Office Memorandum we consider
that these objections apply with almost equai force to any
arrangement which does not formally extuiiu Qatar boundary
right up to blue line. We assume tnat no su^n cl^im is
possible in practice since commitments ox His Majosty
G-overnmant would then be much wider than they a^ e prepare
to/-