Page 201 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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western side belonging to Abu Dhabi and the eastern to Muscat. In the
Burainn oasis the villages of Buraiini and Hamasah and the hamlet of
Suarah belong to Muscat and the rest to Abu Dhabi. The Sultan and
the Ruler of Abu Dhabi are on good terms and up to date there has
been no friction over boundary questions. North of Buraimi Bani
Ka ab country may be included in Sultanate territory with its eastern
boundary in the vicinity of the Sharjah-Buraimi road. Its northern
boundary is either south or north of the Wadi Malta. The Bani Ka’ab
claim this Wadi, both Dubai and Ajman own villages in it and the
Muscat frontier post is a few miles east of the main watershed. (As is
customary in Arabia the Wadi' bears the same name on both sides of
the watershed.) From this point the frontier runs north and crosses the
Wadi al Qaur near its eastern debouchure into the costal plain. It then
turns east and runs down a ridge and across the coastal plain to the
sea between Murair and Khor Kalba. The Sultan has a frontier post
at Khatam al Malahah where the ridge meets the plain. In 1953 the
Ruler of Sharjah claimed a small village north of the Wadi al Qaur as
part of the previous Shaikhdom of Kalba, but after an inspection of
the spot he was informed that it appeared to belong to Muscat and
should be so treated. It is probable that other disputes will arise about
the boundary in this area until it has been properly defined.

(b) With Saudi Arabia
50. In 1937 the Sultan with considerable reluctance stated in writing that he
would raise no objections if the eastern limits of the territory belonging to Ibn Saud
were defined by a line based on the following points: —
The intersection of 52° E. and 23° N.
The intersection of 54° 40' E. and 22° 40' N.
The intersection of 55° 40' E. and 22° N.
The intersection of 55° E. and 20° N.
The intersection of 52° E. and 19° N.(73)

A reply was sent to him that His Majesty’s Government had taken note of the fact
that while he was unable to state precisely the limits of his claims he laid no claim
to any territory beyond the line he had defined.(;|) He has made no further
pronouncement on the subject. At his request Her Majesty’s Government are
acting on his behalf in the negotiations with the Saudis on the subject of their
south-eastern frontier which have been in progress since 1949. Until these
negotiations have been brought to a successful conclusion it will be impossible to
give any more accurate definition of the frontier between Oman and Saudi Arabia
than that suggested by the Sultan.

(c) Dhojar boundary
51. Lorimer states the Dhofar extends along the coast from Ras Dharbat Ali
including Kharifot on the west to Ras Nus on the east.(”) In 1929 Sultan Taimur
stated in writing that the province extended from Ras Dharbat Ali on the west to
the Wadi Rikut on the east.(;c) In 1946 the present Sultan informed a
representative of the oil company that the area defined as Dhofar extended from
Ras Dharbat Ali along the coast to about Ras Timrar beyond Jabal Samhan on
the east and northwards to Ramlat al Mughsin and westwards to the Mahra.U)
In 1947 he marked on a map what he regarded as the boundaries of Dhofar.( )
In this the eastern boundary on the coast is shown as Ras Hasik just east of Jabal
Samhan but he was only questioned at the time about the western boundary.
The abandonment by Petroleum Concessions Limited of their Dhofar concession
(naragraph 64 below) gave him grounds for wishing to extend the boundaries of
H
the province and in June 1953 he informed the Political Resident that its eastern
boundary on the coast should be fixed at Ras Sharbatat, as the Bautahara tribe
/ts\ f 3845/258/91 (1937).
(”) ISO to F.O. P.Z. 5890/38 of August 24. 1938 (E 4992/150/91 of 1938).
("•) raToFX)01' ”2279/30 of April 16. 1930 (E 2071/2071/91 of 1930).
(’•) fato4R0.91 Exl' 907 of May 15. 1947 (E 4013/65/91 of 1947).