Page 92 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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74. In December 1950 it was discovered that a Saudi marker had been erected
on the island. It was decided not to remove it in view of the Saudis’ favourable
reactions to His Majesty’s Government’s proposals about frontier negotiations
in general.
Qran and Qraiyn
75. In 1936 the Political Resident proposed that the Ruler of Kuwait should
be encouraged to hoist his flag on Qran, the ownership of which had previously
been regarded as indeterminate, but the action was not approved (paragraph 64
above) and no mention was made of the island when the Ruler was approached
about other islands in the group in 1946 (paragraph 66 above). In 1937 the Political
Resident reported that Kuwaitis visited both islands during the pearling season
and to collect turtles and that the local opinion was that the islands belonged to
Kuwait. He recommended that the Ruler should assert his sovereignty to both
islands.!"0) No action was taken at the time but in 1949 the Ruler was asked
whether he wished his claim to the islands to be supported as against Saudi Arabia
and replied in the affirmative^101) The islands were mentioned in the note
addressed to the Saudi Arabian Government in May 1949 (paragraph 65 above).
76. A landing-ground was constructed by the Arabian American Oil Company
on Qran in about 1946 and used until September 1948. The company carried out
structure drilling on the island.
77. In December 1950 Saudi markers were found on both islands. It was
decided not to remove them in view of the Saudi’s favourable reactions to His
Majesty’s Government’s proposals about the settlement of frontier negotiations
in general.
Janah and Jaraid
78. Lorimer includes both these islands in the Hasa Sanjaq(163) and in 1937 the
Political Resident reported that although Kuwaiti fishermen visited the islands the
Kuwaitis did not feel a strong sense of ownership in them and he accordingly
recommended that no attempt should be made to establish Kuwait sovereignty
over them.("3) In March 1951 it was discovered that a marker had been erected by
the Saudis on Janah. Although the Saudi claim to these islands has not been
formally recognised, both are regarded provisionally as belonging to Saudi Arabia,
and it has therefore been considered advisable that Her Majesty’s Ships should
avoid visiting them except in the case of an emergency.

Maqta
79. This island is mentioned in the Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1913("') as
belonging to Kuwait. It lies immediately off the coast of territory which in the
Kuwait-Najd Convention of 1922("s) was recognised as belonging to Ibn Saud and
it is presumably on this account that it was omitted from the list of islands
communicated to the Ruler in 1923 (paragraph 58 above). The Political Resident
suggested in 1948, that it should be claimed for Kuwait as a bargaining counter in
the event of the Saudis claiming the islands off the Neutral Zone("°) (Qaru and
Umm al Maradim, paragraph 62 above), and in the 1951 it was included in a
statement of Kuwait claims prepared at the Political AgencyC07) (paragraph 63
above).
(b) Kuwait Territorial Waters
80. In 1940 the Kuwait Oil Company enquired whether the Kuwait Bay was
included in Kuwait territorial waters. The matter was examined and then dropped
until the end of the war. In 1946 departmental discussion was resumed and a
proposal that the Ruler should issue some kind of proclamation was rejected.
Eventually he was asked to write to the Political Agent requesting him to inform
the Kuwait Oil Company that Kuwait territory included the Kuwait Bay, the limit
of territorial waters being a line drawn three nautical miles to the seaward and
(,t0) I.O. to F.O. P.Z. 5575/37 of August 27. 1937 (E 5043/184/91 of 1937).
(•“) Tel. from P.R. to F.O. 332 of July 9. 1949 (E 8364/ 1082/91 of 1949).
(“3) p. 660, Lorimer. Vol. II.
(|“) I.O. to F.O. P.Z. 5575/37 of August 27. 1937 (E 5043/184/91 of 1937).
( ) No. 5 \^I, T.C.
(,4i) No. 8 II. T.C.
(,M) P R. to F.O. 13/4/48 of October 9. 1948 (E 13725/276/91 of 1948).
(,,T) P.R. to F.O. 1081/1/7 of January 18. 1951 (EA 1081/6 of 1951).
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