Page 174 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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dispute over the land boundaries of Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Muscat should be
referred to arbitration, but this proposal was rejected by the Saudis. It was
renewed in January 1953.
102. In spite of the standstill agreement Turki continued to intrigue with the
tribes and there were numerous protests by Her Majesty’s Government and
counter-protests by the Saudis. In order to safeguard the interest of the Trucial
States it was accordingly decided to bring the strength of the Trucial Oman Levies
up to 500 and during the period of recruitment and training of the additional
personnel to reinforce them with Aden Protectorate Levies, and also to station
some armoured cars in the Trucial Coast. These reinforcements began to arrive
in January 1953. During that month a party of Bani Ka’ab carrying a Saudi flag
attacked a Levy Post in the Wadi al Qaur. The attack was easily beaten off. In
March a tax-collector called Ibn Mansur arrived at Buraimi with 38 armed men.
Jn view of these and other breaches by the Saudis of the standstill agreement on
April 2 Her Majesty’s Government informed the Saudi Arabian Government that
they would no longer consider this agreement or the 1951 agreement restricting
the operations of the oil companies and the Trucial Oman Levies (paragraph 98
above) as operative^10') Additional troops were at once sent to the Buraimi oasis
and a loose blockade of Hamasah was established in order to prevent the
tribesmen having access to Turki. Posts were also established in western Abu
Dhabi territory and Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Ltd. were informed
that they were free to operate in the disputed area. The position locally remained
unchanged until the end of 1953.
103. In the note of April 2 to the Saudi Arabian Government the offer of
arbitration was once more renewed. The Saudis accepted the principle of
arbitration but while refusing to recall Turki from Hamasah insisted on the
withdrawal of Her Majesty’s forces from the disputed area. Her Majesty’s
Government insisted on the withdrawal of all forces by both sides. In September
the Saudis brought forward a proposal for the mutual withdrawal of forces and
the location in the Buraimi oasis of small contingents of equal size by both parties
to maintain law and order. At the end of the year a draft arbitration agreement
on this basis was under discussion.(,os) • Tentative agreement had been reached
regarding the procedure to be followed but not about the area which the
proceedings should cover.
(c) Persia
104. The Persian Government refuse to recognise the independence of the
Trucial States and all nationals of the Slates are treated as Persian subjects when
in Persian territory (cf. chapter 6, paragraph 75).(,01) There is much coming and
going and much trade between the Trucial Coast and the Persian Coast and Persian
nationality and customs regulations are for the most part ignored. The Ruler of
Dubai and his son used regularly to visit Persian territory for hunting without any
formalities being observed and it was only in 1952 after the breach of diplomatic
relations with Her Majesty’s Government that Shaikh Rashid was refused
admission by the Persian authorities. The trade on the Persian side is largely
illicit, goods being smuggled into and out of the smaller ports without payment of
duty and in defiance of import and export rules.
105. In 1928 the Persians sent a customs inspector to Dubai but he was
promptly ordered to leave by the Ruler. Since then they have made no attempt
to interfere on the mainland. They have however persistently asserted their claims
to Bu Musa and the Tamb Islands (paragraphs 64-69 above).
106. There have been complaints from time to time of the seizure of Truciai
Coast dhows and their contents by the Persian authorities. Such seizures have
taken place both inside and outside territorial waters and confiscations have been
arbitrarily carried out. On the other hand the dhows concerned were almost
certainly engaged in smuggling. Protests have usually been made by Her Majesty’s
representative in Tehran but so far as is known only on one occasion has redress
been obtained (chapter 3, paragraph 152).(l0S) In 1949 when a Trucial Coast dhow
was boarded off Henjam by two Persian officials the crew cut the cable and made
(•") EA 1081/363 of 1953.
(,0J) EA 1081/1168 of December 24. 1953.
(l04) Para. 23 at p. 91.P.G. 13.
(,0J) P.R. to F.O. 59/10/50 of May 27. 1950 (EA 1398/1 of 1950).
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