Page 91 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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A rabi
70. The Ruler of Kuwait claimed this island in 1936 (paragraph 64 above).
A beacon had been erected on it in 1914 under the orders of the Government of
India. In 1946 the Political Resident proposed that this beacon and also the
beacon on Harqus, should be renewed after obtaining the Ruler’s consent.(,5a) His
Majesty’s Government agreed but no action was taken because the Government
of India at the instance of the Persian Gulf Lighting Service Advisory Committee
refused to sanction the work. In 1949 the Ruler was asked whethet he wished
his claim to the island to be supported as against Saudi Arabia and replied in the
aflirmative.C*') The island was mentioned in the note addressed to the Saudi
Arabian Government in May 1949 (paragraph 65 above).
71. In 1949 the Bahrain Petroleum Company erected an electronic aid survey
station on Arabi after objections had been raised to their use of Farsi for this
purpose (paragraph 67 above). They stated that they were not seeking to establish
any mineral or other rights and that their action should be regarded as without
prejudice to any claim to sovereignty over the island. They refused to approach
the Ruler of Kuwait but the Political Agent informed him of their intentions and
he raised no objection.(,aS) The station was established in September and in the
following month the company reported that they had received a strong protest
from the Arabian American Oil Company who stated that the Amir of Hasa had
asked Ibn Saud for permission to occupy the island by force. The company
had accordingly withdrawn all their personnel from the island. They later reported
that just before this withdrawal a party of eight armed Saudi coastguards had
visited the island and taken particulars of their personnel and installations. At
the beginning of November the Saudi Arabian Government handed to His
Majesty’s Ambassador at Jedda a letter addressed to the Ruler of Bahrain
protesting against the company’s action on Arabi and Fasht Bu Sa’afah (Chapter 2,
paragraph 51) and claiming that the island and shoal belonged to Saudi Arabia.C”)
The Saudi Arabian Government also in replying to an aide-memoire received from
His Majesty’s Ambassador expressed their readiness to negotiate about Arabi
and other islands and shoals and asked that in the meanwhile the Bahrain
Petroleum Company’s operations on Arabi should cease.C57) The company received
a letter on the subject direct from the Amir of Hasa, and replied that they had no
interest in the minerals on the island and that they required three weeks to move
their installations. They removed them accordingly. The Ruler of Kuwait was
informed by the Political Agent of the position and replied that he would abide
by His Majesty’s Government’s decision. Ibn Saud on being informed that the
island was claimed for Kuwait and not Bahrain wrote a personal letter to Ahmad
on the subject, but it could not be delivered to the latter before his death and
Ibn Saud then stated that it had no significance and no reply was sent to it. In
April 1950 a reply was sent to the Saudi Arabian Government’s note of the
previous November asking them to state the basis of their claim to Arabi.(,s*)
72. In May 1950 it was discovered that a Saudi marker had been erected
on the island about three months previously. It was demolished in August under
notification to the Saudis and at the same time proposals were made to the Saudis
for the discussion of the rival claims to this island and Farsi (paragraph 68 above).

Harqus
73. This is only a sand-bank and in 1936 the Ruler of Kuwait denied all
knowledge of it (paragraph 64 above). The history of the beacon on it is the
same at that of the beacon on Arabi (paragraph 70 above). In 1949 the Ruler
was again approached about this island and asked if he wished his claim to it
supported as against Saudi Arabia.(,a'J) He replied in the affirmative. The island
was mentioned in the note addressed to the Saudi Arabian Government in May
1949 (paragraph 65 above).
(*») IO toF.O. 571/47 of March 21. 1947 (E 2526/64/91 of 1947).
(”«) Tel. from P.R. to F.O. 332 of July 9. 1949 (E 8364/1082/91 of 1949).
('«) Tel. from P.R. to F.O. 366 of August 8. 1949 (E 9588/1432/91 of 1949).
(,4‘) Jedda to F.O. Despatch 205 of November 6. 1949 (E i3748/1271 /91 of 1949).
(,47) Jedda to F.O. Despatch 210 of November 11. 1949 (E 14108/1271/91 of 1949).
(>44) Jedda to F.O. Despatch 60 of April 9. 1950 (EA 1276/29 of 1950).
(>4») Tel. from P.R. to F.O. 332 of July 9. 1949 (E 8364/1082/91 of 1949).