Page 337 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

.11 ‘I

Persian claim to Bahrain, 1940 325

E

1Q4B .1*8 fo' iWh

HZi'/r 13121363/ 327/91. jHotna of Bahrein: State Department's Views,
FnoM Washington, Refers to Foreign Office letter of 21st
Mr. Hoyor MlIIor to August, (157363/327/91), with copy of 3tote
Mr, PurrowB.
No. Deportment's Aide Meinddire of 17th September',
GT132/ ~/W7 expressing general agreement with H. M. Govern­
Dated 21st September. ment's vlev/s and proposed couroe of action.
Received
in Regiitry )27th September
TOP SECRET.

Last Paper
]2- ! 3*4' 1^ It is satisfactory that the State Department agree
with our view that the Persian claim to Bahrein is
legally untenable. The State Department, agree with the
Referonoos opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown that It would
be impossible to predict with absolute certainty that
/ the International Court, if asked for an advisory
decision on the Persian claim, would decide in favour
of His Majesty's Government.
The State Department in principle concur with the
tactics which we consider should be employed over this
claim as set out in the penultimate paragraph of our
(Prlnl) letter on E 7363. Their agreement is however modified
to some extent by their further suggestion that it
might be desirable, if the Persian reaction should
appear to justify this at any future date, for both
(How dltpoitd ol) Governments to muke a parallel formal approach to the
Persians, omphasising:-
(1) that the United Kingdom and United States
Governments consider the Persians have no
political or legal grounds for their claim to
Bahrein;
\S CKt.'!
y*, w uv (2) the risk that ouch a claim would have unfavourable
repercussions in Arab States and this, coupled-
with Persian disagreement with the United Kingdom
and United States Governments, could only benefit
the U.S.S.R;
(3) that both the United Kingdom und United States
MTtt) Governments would strenuously oppose the Persian
I wV\ S&IL tx\^- claim if raised before -an international tribunal.
The State Department are also prepared to support
IV a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the
International Court of Justice should Persia decide to
(Aotion (Index) submit the Bahrein issue to the United Nations. They
completed) do not, however, propose that the Persian Government
should be informed of this.
:> 'h The State Department consider that such an approach
might be made if Persia continued to press her claim
cither on her own Initiative or under.Soviet pressure
Noxt Paper or, ao they consider more probable, if the declaration
of the'proposals regarding off-shore oil and the
3(007 /principle