مراسلات بشأن الامتيازات في البحرين والكويت وغيرها بين ١٩٣٢-يوليو ١٩٣٣ (مطبوع سري رقم ٤٩ للمكتب الاستعماري في الشرق الأوسط) [ظ‎‎٧‎٠] (٢٨٤/١٤٢)

114
0. 98026/32 [No. 34].
No. 137.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
The Under-iSecretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to
the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies and, by direction of the Secretary of
State, transmits herewith copy of a despatch to the United States Charge d'Affaires
on the subject of oil in Kuweit.
Foreign Office, 13th April, 1932.
Reference to previous correspondence : Foreign Office letter of 1st April, 1932.*
Similar letter sent to India Office, Petroleum Department, Admiralty, and Air
Ministry
Enclosure in No. 137.
(Confidential.)
Foreign Office, 9th April, 1932.
With reference to your note No, 1696 of the 29th March, regarding the applica
tion of the Eastern and General Syndicate for an oil concession in Kuweit, which they
propose, if granted, to transfer to United States interests, I have the honour to inform
you that His Majesty's Government have given careful consideration to the repre
sentations made by General Dawes and yourself on this subject, and I am now in a
position to return you a reply.
2 Your Government will appreciate in the first place that the Shaikh of Kuweit,
ougli an independent ruler, is in special treaty relations with His Majesty's Govern
ment and enjoys their protection. These special relations lead him to seek their advice
on important matters of policy, and place His Majesty's Government under an obligation
to watch oyer his interests. Many years ago the predecessor of the present Shaikh
gave an undertaking that he would not grant an oil concession in his territories without
their consent.
3. In paragraph 2 of your note of the 29th March you mention that your Govern
ment are informed that the Shaikh is agreeable to the " entry of the Eastern Gulf Oil
Company and to the granting on behalf of that Company of an oil concession without
the mclusion of the Nationality clause.' " As was explained to you in a semi-official
etter of the 22nd December last from my Department, His Majesty's Government, on
learning this, felt some doubt as to the correctness of this interpretation of the Shaikh's
attitude, since the Shaikh had consistently expressed himself emphatically to the local
.british authority as desirous of confining any oil concession to entirelv British interests.
In your letter of the 3()th December you were good enough to" transmit for my
information a copy and translation of a letter from the Shaikh to Major Holmes the
representative of the Eastern and General Syndicate, on which the American interests
apparently based the information on this point given to your Government. His Maiestv's
Goyeinment have caused inquiry to be made of the Shaikh, who replied that he was
still averse from receiving m his principality a company other than an entirelv British
ono and that he did not consider himself as in any way committed by his letter to
ajor Holmes L o grant the Eastern and General Syndicate the concession which thev
seek. It will be observed from a reference to the Shaikh's letter that its final sentence
only expresses a readiness to discuss the matter further with Major Holmes after
agreement has been reached between the Svndicate and His Majestv's Government
. 4 - ., examining the necessity for the continued insistence on the inclusion
m any oil concession m respect of Kuweit of a clause confining it to British interests
His- Majesty- s Government have been concerned not onlv with their own interests in
the matter, but also with their duty to secure the best terms possible for the Shaikh
rJ U ;: ^ V 1 P r 1 n C - a 1 r have ^ re - ard t0 the possibility that it would be less
fi cult for the local British authorities to control the activities of a purely British
concern and to reconcile them with the Shaikh's interests. On a balance of all the
conflicti .10 considerations. His Majesty's Government are, however, now prepared for
their nart, not to msist in this case that any concession must contain a clause confining
such ^ claiLe ere S ' " ^ ^ part is willin2 ^ a concession without,
* No. 136.