Page 351 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

Bahrain-UK relations 339

SECRET. POLITICAL AGENCY, ^
BAHRAIN, \
S.0.No.C/R=2. Dated 3rd January, 194J5.

I have now had time to consicjor tho contents of
your semi-official letter No.(284/2/48), dated the 23rd

December, 1948, qpout the Shaikh's request for a written
assuranco against aggression. I hove attempted a draft,
which I enclose JierewiU), pfjd w^ipi) might issue from my-
• • • !.*3 •:
self to him if yop apprqyp of itj or ypu may think it
well to get it vetted by £he Foreign Office experts in
such matters. The sort Pf point on which they, I Imagine,
would V»e able to advise is that which occurred to me on
reading your telegram No.300, dated the 23rd Decemler, 1948,
to the Foreign Office in which you use (quite correctly
as far as 1 remember) the expression "a State under their
protection" in transluting that part of the Shaikh’s re-
quest. The question that occurs to mo is whether-the
giving of an assurance in such terms could be construed
us a declaration of a protectorate - presumably a more
serious step than you at present contemplate.
2. I do not at all like tho Shaikh's request for "a pro­
mise to safeguard the rights of his subjocts abroad", This
is a further increase on tho original request and was only

made because our reactions to that request must have con­
vinced tho Shaikh that we are in an yielding mood. Ostensibly
it seems to ask for an admission of our obligation to exer­
cise good offices with Foreign Governments in respect of
Bahrain subjects residing in their territories should those
subjects need them*, what in fact we would do for British
subjects •,..
His Excellency Sir Rupert Hay, KCIE, CSI,
Political Resident, Persiun Gulf,
BAHRAIN.
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