مراسلات بشأن الامتيازات في البحرين والكويت وغيرها بين ١٩٣٢-يوليو ١٩٣٣ (مطبوع سري رقم ٤٩ للمكتب الاستعماري في الشرق الأوسط) [ظ‎‎١‎٢‎٨] (٢٨٤/٢٥٨)

230
Lieutenant-Colonel Fowle said that, so far as he knew, the suggestion was that if
the Anglo-Persian Oil Company secured the concession, an arrangement would be made
for the sharing of the marketing and distributing side of the concern on a fifty-fifty
basis. Mr. Starling said that this agreed with his information and he had also been
informed by Sir John Cadman that the Anglo-Persian Oil Company were determined, if
possible, to secure the concession.
14. Lieutenant-Colonel Fowle suggested that it would facilitate discussion of
the question if we knew what were Major Holmes's reactions to the latest Anglo-Persian
offer. Major Holmes had now returned to Kuwait, and the Shaikh would certainly by
now have consulted him regarding the offer. He therefore thought that the Political
Agent might be instructed to approach the Shaikh and ascertain the present position.
The meeting concurred in this suggestion, and the terms of a telegram to the Acting-
Resident in the Persian Gulf were agreed. A copy of this telegram* as it was issued is
attached to this record, and it was arranged that a further meeting should be held on
the 3rd of Mayt, at which the position could be further considered in the light of any
information received in the meantime from Acting Resident.
15. Two other matters bearing on the oil position in Kuwait were discussed,
namely :—
(a) Possible influence on the Shaikh's attitude of the Blockade and Date Gardens
questions.
Mr. Parkinson said he presumed that nothing could be said to the Shaikh to help
matters until some definite conclusion on the part of His Majesty's Government could
be communicated to him. Both questions were to be discussed in the near future, and
it might then be possible to tell the Shaikh something definite which would help to
remove his sense of grievance. Lieutenant-Colonel Fowle agreed that we must wait
until we could report definite proposals on the part of His Majesty's Government.
(b) Shaikh's visit to England as guest of Eastern and General Syndicate.
The draft letter which the Political Resident had proposed to send to the Shaikh
on this matter was considered. Various points were discussed and subject to a number
of verbal amendments, the draft was agreed to. It was arranged that the India Office
should communicate with the Acting Resident, authorizing the issue of the letter.
The meeting discussed whether the Shaikh should also be invited to England as
the guest of His Majesty's Government It was decided that the Resident might
intimate orally to the Shaikh that when the oil question had been settled, he might
possibly receive an official invitation to visit England as the guest of His Majesty's
Government. The opportunity should also be taken to impress on him the fact already
brought out in the letter, that, if he came as the guest of the Company, offici?.!
cognizance would not be taken of him in this country. Lieutenant-Colonel Fowls
said that he would be visiting Kuwait on his way back to Bushire, and could then make a
communication to the Shaikh in this sense.
18119/83 [No. 99].
No. 257.
POLITIOAL AGENT, KUWAIT, to the SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 9.35 p.m., 30th April, 1933.)
Telegram.
30 th April . Addressed to Bushire No. 84. Repeated to Secretary of State
for the Colonies. Colonial Office telegram No. 3.*
Shaikh consulted Holmes yesterday on latest offer Anglo-Persian Oil Company
according to Shaikh Holmes immediately made higher offer making (my ? 953) con
dition which was agreed to that he be allowed to submit new draft concession under
which northern half of Kuwait should go to British and southern half to America.
* See No. 255.