Page 381 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

Iran and Iraq 369

BRITISH RESIDENCY,
Bahrain.
CONFIDENTIAL 15th April, 1950.
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In your letter EA 1904/3 of the 3rd March you
asked for information about Iraqi interests in Kuwait
and Bahrain and tho opinion of the Political Agent and
myself regarding the extent to which Iraqis really need
representation in order to protect their interests in
these places.
2. I have sent a copy of your letter to Gethin
and have asked for material for a reply so for as
Kuwait is concerned, but have not yet received it.
3. Pelly reports thut there ore 224 Iraqis in
Bahrain including those employed by tho Bahrain
Petroleum Company, Most of them aro small traders >
retuilers and inonoy changers, The total includes some
of the local Jews who are of Iraqi nationality though
permanently resident here, The only firm of any
importance is Minasslan Bros., who import regularly
from tho United Kingdom and are concerned in various
commercial projects in Bahrain.
4. My view is that the extent of Iraqi interests
here is not such as to justify representation, The
Iraqis ore under our jurisdiction and so far as I am
awaro ore contented with their lot. The presence of
some Iraqi representative here who could grant visas for
Iraq would be a convenience to travellers. The Political
Agent used to grant such visas, but after receipt of your
circular No.051 (E4214/1931/93) of 10th May this was stop­
ped. Wo receivod from tho Baghdad Embassy a copy of a
note from tho Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs in which
they complained that we had refused to continue to issue
visas. We pointed out to the Baghdad Embassy that the
action was taken at the request of tho Iraqi Government
and said that if the Iraqis wished the Politeal Agents
to resume the issue of Iraqi visas we should certainly
have no objection here. Tho Baghdad Embassy replied
that they thought that tho J-ruqi note had been badly
worded as a result of a lack of knowledge of English
. and the matter rests there. I am not in a position
.Political to question the Baghdad Embassy's opinion, but I still
tgents think it might be worthwhile telling the Iraqis that
should we are willing that the/practice of issuing Iraqi visas
■osume the if they wished them to do so, and we might at the same
time point out that with tho concurrence of the Lebanese
authorities the Political Agents are now Issuing visas
for the Lebanon.
5. I am mentioning this point because it is just
possible that the desirability of having some one com­
petent to issue Iraqi visas in Kuwait and Bahrain may
have something to do with their requost for represent­
ation.
G.W. Furlonge Esq., O.B.E. ,
The Foreign Office j /6.
London, S.W.l.