Page 27 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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42. All the Rulers including the Sultan of Muscat are bound by agreement
not to permit the traffic in arms, and in all the Gulf Stales a system exists whereby
persons desirous of importing arms and ammunition apply to the local
representatives of His Majesty’s Government for a No Objection Certificate
(Appendix C). This system is not provided for in any of the arms agreements but
is accepted by the Rulers except that in Muscat the Sultan now only recognises
the grant of certificates by Her Majesty’s Consulate for consignments of arms and
ammunition from the United Kingdom and British possessions and requires them
to be worded as authorising the export of such consignments and not their import
to Muscat. In the United Kingdom and India no export of arms and ammunition
to the Gulf States is permitted until such a certificate is produced. In 1953 the
United States Government were asked to adopt a similar practice and agreed to
do so, except that in respect of arms and ammunition required for Muscat instead
of demanding the production of a No Objection Certificate they proposed to
consult the Political Resident through their Consul-General at Dhahran before
permitting export.C") A similar approach was subsequently made to the Govern­
ment of Belgium, Spain, Italy and France, and the Allied Military Security Board in
Western Germany^”) A satisfactory reply had been received from the Belgian
Government by the end of the year and there was no reason to believe that the
other authorities concerned would not comply with Her Majesty’s Government’s
request.

(e) Protocol
43. A strict protocol is observed in the Gulf and there are numerous
occasions on which calls are exchanged. The rules observed by officers of the
Royal Navy and a Table of Precedence are appended (Appendix D). The
procedure for calls between Political officers and Rulers varies from post to post.
It is usual for political officers to call on the Rulers on the two Ids and for the
Rulers to call on the local political authority on Her Majesty’s birthday, which is
celebrated on April 21, and New Year’s Day or Christmas Day. A list of the
Rulers with their titles, decorations and salutees as they stood at the end of 1953
is appended (Appendix E). Lists of the incumbents of the Persian Gulf posts since
1904, to bring the lists in Lorimer’s “ Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf ”(,0°) up to date,
are also appended (Appendix F). In the days of the British Government of India
the Political Resident was given the title of the “ The Hon’ble.” Since 1948 he has
been entitled “ His Excellency.” The gun salutes enjoyed by the Political Resident
and other officers in the Gulf ports are given in the Table of Precedence
(Appendix D).
44. The Political Resident is entitled to fly the diplomatic flag and other
heads of posts the consular flag. These flags are flown daily. British subjects and
protected persons are permitted to fly the Union Jack on specified occasions
(Appendix G (i)). Each Gulf State has its flag and ships other than men of war
visiting a State usually fly its flag at the foremast.(,01) Bahrain is the only State
which has issued rules about the flying of flags (Appendix G (ii)). These rules have
not been applied by Regulation to persons subject to the Order in Council.

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/..) Washington to F.O. 11931/4/53 of June 30. 1953 (EA 1194/2 of 1953)
(**) F.O. to Brussels. EA 1194/2 of October 23, 1953.
)ioo\ AnDendix Q, Part II, Vol. 1, Lorimcr.
(“”) I.Oto F.O. Ext. 2902/47 of January 3, 1948 (T378/378/377 of 1948).