Page 52 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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concurred in it, was that (1) His Majesty's Government should not raise the
question of the Persian claim to Bahrain in any international forum, (2) His
Majesty’s Government should continue to discourage Persia from raising it
in any manner, (3) that if nevertheless Persia raised it in the United Nations it was
hoped that this would be in the Security Council rather than the General Assembly
and (4) that if the matter should be raised either in the Security Council or the
General Assembly it would be best to try to direct the meeting towards a request
for an advisory opinion from the International Court.(,f‘°) Before this policy was
decided on the Law Officers of the Crown had again been consulted. They
supported the conclusions reached by their predecessors in 1934 (paragraph 82
above) and did not think that the International Court would find in favour of the
Persian claims but were unwilling to say that there was no appreciable risk in a
reference to that Court.C61) In 1950 the policy described above was modified to
some extent and it was decided that as soon as it became known that the Persian
Government were to raise their claim with the United Nations, a formal note
should be sent to them, and copied to the President and members of the Security
Council proposing that the question should be submitted to the International Court
for decision.!ui) The United States Government promised their general support to
this line of action^'6,1)
85. The situation in 1949 was quieter. In April the Persian Government
protested because in an instruction issued by the Italian Government to the
Banca d’ltalia Bahrain was included in the sterling area.(,M) Later some unfounded
rumours that a federation of Gulf States was contemplated led to enquiries from
the Persian Government. In the latter half of the year both Persia and Bahrain
were invited to attend an Islamic Economic Conference at Karachi.(1,iJ) When the
Persians heard of this they declined to attend the conference unless the invitation
to Bahrain were withdrawn. The Pakistan Government asked His Majesty’s
Government to arrange this but as it was found that the Ruler of Bahrain had
made up his mind to decline the invitation in any case no action had to be taken.
At the end of the year Tashkent radio broadcast reports that His Majesty’s
Government were planning to remove all Persians from Bahrain. The Persian
Foreign Minister was informed by His Majesty’s Minister at Teheran that these
reports were complete nonsense.(,Cf')
86. In 1948 the Persian Government protested to the Bureau of International
Telecommunications Union about telegraphic traffic originating in Bahrain.(,fl7) A
rejoinder was issued through the same channel. In 1949 the Persian postal
administration asked the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union to
circularise all members of the Union to the effect that as Bahrain belonged to
Persia, all postal packets from Bahrain arriving in Persia with overprinted British
postage stamps would be treated as unpaid. The International Bureau were
induced to publish His Majesty’s Government’s rejoinder simultaneously with the
communication received from the Persian Government.^01)
87. Throughout 1950 and 1951 the Persians seized every opportunity to
advertise their claim. In 1950 in the World Health Conference at Istanbul they
announced that they would withdraw their delegation if Bahrain were represented.
At the International Food Conference in Karachi the Persian Delegation threatened
to walk out if a Bahrain delegate attended. In Egypt the Persian Ambassador
protested against the attendance of the Bahrain Director of Education at an
Educational Conference convened by the Arab League. In Paris the Persian
Embassy complained to the Secretariat of the Organisation for European
Economic Co-operation because in their foreign trade Statistical Bulletin Bahrain
was included as a British “ Dependent Overseas Territory.” At the end of 1950 a
bill was proposed in the Persian Majlis requiring the Government to perfect
immediately the administrative organisation of Bahrain^09) but it appears not to
have been pursued owing to pre-occupation with the oil dispute; the matter was
('••) Washington to F.O. G. 132/ /48 of September 21. 1948 (E 12563/327/91 of 1948).
('“) E 1345/327/91 of May 28. 1948.
(*'*) Tel. from F.O. to Washington. 631. Saving, of February 7. 1950 (E 15402/G of 1950).
(' ) Tel. from Washington to F.O. 248. Saving, of April 24. 1950 (EA 1081 /18 G of 1950).
(' ) Teheran to F.O. Despatch 142 of April 20. 1949 (E 5192/1082/91 of 1949).
< ) Tel- fr°m U.K.H.C., Karachi, to C.R.O. 1222 of August 18. 1949 (F 12480/1104/85
of 1949).
from Teheran to F.O 949 of December 28, 1949 (E 15323/1583/91 of 1949).
( ) F.O. to P.R. W 2279/1 /804 of May 20. 1949.
O S f ?‘10 70145/46/1413 of August 23.' 1950 (EA 1443/5 of 1950).
t Mel. from Teheran to F.O. 569 of November 15. 1950 (EP 1016/88 of 1950).
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