Page 262 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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2. With this end in view, His Majesty’s Government suggest that there should
be an exchange of notes providing that the work of demarcating the frontier and
erecting pillars should be carried out in a manner similar to that laid down in
the notes exchanged for the same purpose between the Iraqi and Saudi Arabian
Governments in February 1938. In order, however, to avoid difficulties which
might otherwise arise, His Majesty’s Government think it desirable that the
proposed notes should include agreement on the interpretation of certain points in
the wording of the definition of the frontier as reaffirmed by the Prime Minister in
his letter to the High Commissioner No. 2944 of July 21st, 1932.
3. In that letter the definition of the frontiers was reaffirmed in the following
terms: —
“ From the intersection of the Wadi al Audja with the Batin and thence
northwards along the Batin to a point just south of the latitude of Safwan;
thence eastwards passing south of Safwan wells, Jebel Sanam and Um Qasr
i leaving them to Iraq and so on to the junction of the Khor Zobeir with the
Khor Abdullah. The islands of Warba, Bubian, Maskan (or Mashjan)
Failakah, Auhah, Kubbar Qaru and Um el Maradin appertain to Koweit.”
4. The points to be interpreted and the interpretation which it is suggested
should be given to them are as follows: — !
(1) “ Along the Batin ” the frontier line shall follow the thalweg, i.e., the line !
of the deepest depression.
(2) The “ point just South of the latitude of Safwan ” shall be the point on
the thalweg of the Batin due West of the point a little to the South of
Safwan at which the post and notice-board marking the frontier stood
until March 1939.
(3) From the Batin to the neighbourhood of Safwan the frontier shall be !
! a line along the parallel of latitude on which stands the above-
mentioned point at which the post and notice-board formerly stood. i
(4) The “junction of the Khor Zubair with the Khor Abdullah ” shall mean i
the junction of the thalweg of the Khor Zubair with the thalweg of
I the north-westerly arm of the Khor Abdullah known as the Khor
Shetana.
(5) From the neighbourhood of the Safwan to the junction of the Khor
Zubair with the Khor Abdullah the frontier shall be the shortest line
between the point defined in sub-paragraph (2) and the point defined I
in sub-paragraph (4). But if this line shall be found, when followed !
on the ground to strike the right bank of the Khor Zubair before it
reaches the point defined in sub-paragraph (4), it shall be modified
in such a manner as to follow the low water line on the right bank of
the Khor Zubair until a point on the bank immediately opposite the
point defined in sub-paragraph (4) is reached, thus leaving the whole
of the Khor Zubair to Iraq.
(6) From the point defined in sub-paragraph (4) to the open sea the boundary
shall follow the thalweg of the Khor Abdullah.
5. In the hope that Your Excellency will agree in principle with my
Government’s view of the advantage to both the Iraqi and Koweiti Governments
of a demarcation of their common frontier, I am enclosing, as a basis for
discussion, a draft of a Note which I suggest Your Excellency should, on behalf of
the Iraqi Government, address to me. I will then endeavour to obtain, through
the proper channel, the formal agreement of His Highness the Ruler of Koweit to
these proposals. !
I avail myself of this opportunity to express to Your Excellency the assurance
of my highest consideration.
1
(ii)
(Paragraph 51)
;
Note Verbale, dated December 18 1951, from His Majesty's Embassy, Bagdad,
to the Iraqi Minister for Foreign A ffairs
His Britannic Majesty’s Embassy presents its compliments to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and has the honour to state that His Britannic Majesty’s
Government in the United Kingdom have had under consideration the question
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