Page 121 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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the aerodrome the Ruler was to be paid £500 a year. The agreement was
accompanied by Air Navigation Regulations issued by the Ruler by a list of
conditions governing the use of the aerodrome, by a form of authorisation for
aircraft to land in and fly over Kuwait, by a schedule of landing fees and by an
exchange of letters relating to facilities for the Royal Air Force. His Majesty’s
Government appointed Imperial Airways as their agents for managing and
maintaining the civil aerodrome at Kuwait and the Ruler granted a special
authorisation for the aircraft of that company to land in and fly over Kuwait
In May 1936 a King’s Regulation^"7) was issued enforcing the Air Navigation
Regulations against persons subject to the Order in Council and penalising any
offence against them. In 1937 the Ruler agreed that in an emergency Imperial
Airways flying boats might land near the Royal Air Force moorings at Bandar
Shuwaikh (paragraph 173 above). In 1938 the 1934 Agreement was renewed for
a further period of seven years without any revision of its terms-l"*") In 1941 the
Ruler, after first refusing, agreed orally that the British Overseas Airways
Corporation might put down mooring buoys in the Bandar Shuwaikh anchorage.
In 1945 the 1934 Agreement was renewed for a further period of three years,
a definition of the term “aerodrome” being added to it.(3"°) In 1946 the Ruler
granted to His Majesty’s Government the right to grant on his behalf the use of
aerodromes and traffic rights to foreign aircraft.
179. After the last war the Kuwait Oil Company were persuaded to take over
the maintenance of the airfield which the Royal Air Force had established south
of the town (paragraph 174 above) on an informal basis primarily for their own
use. In 1947 His Majesty’s Government permitted Iraqi Airways to operate a
service to Kuwait on the basis of an agreement which they had reached with the
company. The Iraqi Government were informed that 44 His Majesty’s Government
do not at present intend to designate Kuwait aerodrome for the operation of
international air services.”(300) Syrian Airways were also permitted informally to
establish a service to Kuwait for a period of six months. Landing fees were
collected from the aircraft of the two lines, but not from those of the Kuwait Oil
Company, by the Political Agency.F01) Early in 1948, with the Ruler’s concurrence,
British Overseas Airways Corporation flying-boats began to call regularly at
Kuwait.
180. The 1934 Agreement as renewed was due to expire on May 23, 1948.
In the early months of the year there was much discussion about a proposal of the
Kuwait Oil Company to construct a new airfield for their own purposes and the
possibility of His Majesty’s Government’s contributing the extra expenditure
required to bring it up to international standards was considered, together with a
proposal that the Company should act as His Majesty’s Government’s agents under
the Agreement. The Ruler was asked orally to agree to a six months’ extension
of the Agreement in order to allow time for a revision of the terms of the Air
Navigation Regulations to bring them into line with His Majesty’s Government’s
obligations under the Chicago Convention. He agreed to the proposed extension
but expressed a hope that this would not involve delay in the decision to construct a
new airfield.(3M) He was informed in writing that there would be no such delay and
replied confirming his agreement to the extension. The agreement finally expired
on November 23, 1948, without any proposal having been made to the Ruler for
a further extension or for a new agreement and without any decision having been
reached about the construction of a new airfield. Instructions for negotiating a
new agreement were despatched to the Political Resident in December and in
January 1949 the Ruler agreed that, pending the negotiations, the existing
arrangements concerning civil aviation should be regarded as continuing in force
unofficially.^93)
181. The new Civil Air Agreement was eventually signed on June 21, 1949.F94)
It conferred on His Majesty’s Government exclusive rights to establish and op^te
aerodromes and ancillary facilities in Kuwait and authority to grant on behalf of
f»tr\ ]sJq j of 1936.
f31*) I O to F.O. P.Z. 5007/38 of September 23. 1940 (E 2673/2673/91 of 1940).
/»•) J.O. to F.O. Ext. 3482/45 of August 9. 1945 (W 10890/2421/802 of 1945)
/»••) Bagdad to F.O. Despatch 222 of June 24. 1947 (W 4914/192/802 of 1947).
f3*') CRO to F.O. U.n. of October 3. 1947 (W 6727 /16/802 of 1947).
r»2 Tel. from P.R. to F.O. 52 of May 8. 1948 (W 3022/3/802 of 1948).
Tel from P.R. to F.O. 4 of January 4. 1949 (W 52/15/802 of 1949).
o P.R. to F.O. Despatch 61 of July 9. 1949 (W 4049/15/802 of 1949).