مجموعة ٣٠/ ١٨ (١) "الخليج الفارسي: البحرين، الرسوم الجمركية المفروضة على البضائع العابرة؛ موقف ابن سعود" [و‎‎٥‎٢‎٣] (١١٦٢/١٠٥٠)

Reassertion of Persian Claim and Appeal to League, 1927.
33. The deposition of Sheikh Isa by His Majesty’s Government in
1923, and the subsequent increase in the degree of active British influence,
' emphasised the position publicly taken in Bahrein by His Majesty’s
f Government, but the Persian claim was not again actively reasserted
until the text of the Treaty of Jeddah, concluded with Ibn Saud on
9|)th May 1927, in which Bahrein was referred to as having “special
Treaty relations” with His Majesty’s Government, provoked a strong
protest by Persia, copies of which were despatched to the League of
Nations with a request for circulation.|t The Persian protest was based tt Teh. Desp. to f.o. 577,
largely on an alleged recognition of Persian sovereignty over Bahrein in a Nov - 25,5,2/ -
Note dated 29th April 1869, from the Earl of Clarendon, then Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs. A reasoned reply to the Persian Note, which
(after a brief delay in the hope that an arrangement might be reached
with Persia) was equally communicated to, and circulated by, the League,
was despatched by His Majesty’s Government on 18th January 1928.
Suffice it to say that His Majesty’s Government, while avoiding any delinite
statement as to their own position in Bahrein or its basis, again repudiated
the Persian claim in the strongest terms.
34. The Government of India, who but for the Persian protest would
have inclined to favour a proposal of the Political Resident, under
consideration at the time of its receipt, that His Majesty’s Government should
set the seal on their position in Bahrein by a formal treaty of protection,
provided that this was not precluded by wider considerations of foreign
policy, recognised the tactical objections to such action in face of Persia s
appeal to the League.§ They commended, in the circumstances, a proposal
by Sir L. Haworth that the Sheikhs should be apprised of Persia s claim and
encouraged to give a power of attorney to His Majesty s Government to defend
their independence at Geneva, and if possible state their dependence on our
protection. This latter proposal was approved by His Majesty s Government.!
on the understanding that no pressure of any kind should be brought to
bear on the Sheikh to secure the documents. His Majesty s Government
added that, in their view, the desirability of stressing the dependence on
our protection ” of the Sheikhs was doubtful, and suggested that the point
could better be disposed of by reference to the special treaty relations o t re
Sheikhs with His Majesty’s Government.
§ Viceroy’s tel., Dec. 29
1927, P. 5907.
|| Tel. from S. of S. for I. to
Viceroy, 181. Jan. 20 1928.
35. The Political Resident reported on 19th March 1928 ^ that he had
obtained a letter from Sheikhs Isa and Hamad appointing is i ajes 3
Government, in accordance with their treaties, to defen ta in in 10 m
outside interference,” and to act as their agents in rebutting the lersian
claims, and that the Sheikhs proposed to send Sheikh Mohammed, brothei
of Sheikh Hamad and son of Isa, as their representative in answering ihe
claim should the case be taken to Geneva, [he Resident added that no
pressure had been brought to bear to obtain tins < ocnmen , .
that matters had gone so far with the Sheikhs any compromise ^
on the basis of the status quo would have a very undesirable -nsettl ng
effect on them, and that a definite disposal of the matter bj lei.
withdrawal of the case or its reference to the League, was neei ss.i , .
% Viceroy’s tel. t>31JS.,
P. 1400/28.
36. There seemed at an earlier stage some [[ ason t0 J[ e ' ieve
'ersian Note to His Majesty’s Government was designed rathei to e
heir claim from lapsing sub *t 7 «ntio lhan in the mpeo ' ai'M^ ^ ^ ’ The CpT(ill tA 230 , Dec . 2S
hat the Persian Government re^rettei the the recent negotiations u*7. r«*. *. *-• *»/*•
piestion lias come up several times in tne 1 i t t i lprp j s
vith PprQif, whpn Sir R Olive has uniformly made it clear tnat tl ere is
eisia, when bi. • , reg jji no - from the position taken 111
10 prospect of His Majesty s Goveinmeiu ^ , i n
he Note of reply. A formal answer to that Note has, ^vei “ow b^n made
>y Persia,ft and communicated to the League of Nation^ a d 1 seems
hat the claim is to be pressed. The Persian ausw 1 e *
lased on the claims that Persian siizeiainty °' el . ‘ . v j ” 0 f in
f *n~v. ow-iiMKjrsr. ssn ~ 3
lie Note sent to Persia m Jauuai) auu ^
2979d
ft Teh. tel. to F.O. 235,
Aug. G 1928, P. 4184/28.