"ملف رقم ٠٤٣٦/٥١ اتفاقية طيران الشارقة" [و‎‎٩‎٤] (٢٠٠/١٨٧)

BRITISH RESIDENCY,
GQB <rD IlfTIAL .
(13^9/1/51 )
BAHRAIN
15th January, I9f>1 •
Owln^; to 8o:ne oversight we do not seem to have reported
the fact that the airfield at Sharjah has been extended by
U51 yards at the request of the Royal Air Force, As the mat
ter was of great urgency, vide Air ttaff Liaison Ofiicer,
Bahrain’s letter Ho. ASLO/107/7/Crg. of the 28th June, 1950,
of which I enclose a copy, the work was taken in hand immedia
tely with the a proval of the Shaikh and the airfield was
extended to the required length in time to take the jet
planes which were being flown at the time to India and Pakis
tan.
2. At the time the extension was made, we did not realise
that the Sharjah airfield was the property of the Ministry
of Civil Aviation and not of the Air Ministry. The cost of
the extension has presumably been borne by the latter.
3 . I enclose a copy of correspondence exchanged with the
Ruler relating to the extension. It will be seen from this
that the question of rent for it remains to be settled and
that the acting filler in his letter has called attention to
the delay in the execution of the new air agreement and in
the payment of the increased salaries for the guards. Actually,
an offer of rent for the extension of Rs.100 per month was
made to the Ruler and he replied that this was negligible
compared to the present day value of the land. I am strongly
of opinion myself that the amount offered was inadequate. The
original area rented from the Ruler under agreement with
Imperial Airways is 88 acres and Rs.1000 per month is being
paid for this as rent. The area of the extension is approxi
mately 37 acres and the rent for this at the previous rate
works out to Rs.420 per month. I do not tliinK we can rsasonaL>i
offer rent at a lower rate than that agreed in 1932 an< it
could well be argued that the Ruler would be justified in
demanding a rate in excess of this in view of the general
rise in prices which has occurred since then. I would request
therefore that I may be authorised to offer up to Rs.420 per
ionth if I find this necessary. 1 think the haikh will
prbbatly be willing to accept this offer if the new air
agreement is presented to him for signature at an early date.
The increased payment should be made with effect from the date
on which the additional land was actually taken over. I have
nothing on record to show when this date was, and I am making
enquiries, bat I believe it to be some time in July, 1950.
4. I am afraid this extension of the airfield and increase
in the rent will necessitate some further amendments of the
draft air agreement. I hope it will be possible to decide what
form these should take at a very early date. The whole matter
has now been pending for nearly three years and I was promised
in oara 2 of Foreign Office telegram : o.433 of the 25th Octo
ber, 1950 that the new copy of the draft air agreement and the
draft air navigation regulations would be forwarded by bag as
soon as possible.
/V. . Harpham, ^sq. , 0. >.R.
Foreign Office,
London, b.W.l.