Page 312 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

! 300 Records oj Bahrain
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from tburaw to foreign OFPicg * I
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28th January 1940. R. 12.15 p.m, 28th January 1948,
Repeated toj Washington,
Moscow and
13.M. 15,0. Cairo,
.
LIGHT,
:
Addressed to Foreign Of flop telegram. No,. 79 of
January 20th repeated to"T/ashTngton, Koboow' and
Bflt'isn MlddLc Bast Office, Cairo.
Your telegram No, 2, <
Although so far tho Government have shown
no sign of committing themselves to any Initiative
agltulion about Bahrein is undoubtedly gathering
momentum.
2. American Ambassador tells me that several
\ reports have reached him lately to the effect that
Ills Majesty's Government would not contest Persian
claim to sovereignty over Bahrein since it would
embarrass American Oil Companies and thereby United
Stales Government, whose growing influence in tho
Middle Hast we aro determined to neutralise. This is
of course typical Soviet propaganda and pert and
parcel of a Soviet-inspired plan to drive a wedge
\ between United States and ourselves in this country
which has recently been much in evidence. Latest
report is to the effect that a Bill creating a
Persian electoral district of Bahrein will shortly
he rushed through Mailis and that immediately
thereafter with British consent a Persian military
force will re-occupy the Islands.
i 5. Neither Allen nor I are impressed by these
wild stories but wc are agreed that the time has
come to bring Persia back to earth. I shall see
:
Prime Minister tomorrow in another connexion and
propose to speak to him on lines suggested in your
| ; telegram No.948 of 1947, The Prime Minister ha3
however little authority. The appointment of a
i
Minister for Foreign Affairs in still in suspense and
survive
it is far from certain that the Government will l_
much longer. My representations arc therefore
I unlikely to have any positive' effect. Would you
consider having a suilablo question asked in tho House
of Commons? Such a statement might he exploited by
$ ttgitatoru here. On the othor hand it should have tho
I \