Page 93 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

80
parallel to a line across the mouth of the Bay between specified points-C**) The
Ruler wrote a letter to the Political Agent accordingly (Appendix F). In 1940 the
Foreign Office sent to the Kuwait Oil Company a chart prepared by the Admiralty
showing the limits of Kuwait territorial waters with a caveat that it should not be
regarded as containing the considered and final views of His Majesty’s Government
regarding the limits of territorial waters and of the various islands over which the
Shaikh had sovereignty.^*0) The chart as originally sent contained an error which
was corrected.(iro)
81. It should be noted that although Her Majesty’s Government only
recognise a three-mile limit for Kuwait territorial waters, the Kuwait Oil
Company’s concession by agreement with the Ruler (paragraph 98 below) extends
seawards up to a limit of six miles.
(c) Neutral Zone Territorial Waters
82. In 1952 Her Majesty’s Government instructed Her Majesty’s Ambassador
at Jedda to tell the Saudi Arabian Government that they were willing to concede
that the Neutral Zone had both territorial waters and a sea-bed area.(,n) The
question of the extent of the territorial waters has not yet been discussed with the
Saudis and may give rise to difficulties as only a three-mile limit is claimed for
Kuwait while the Saudis claim a six-mile limit.

(d) Kuwait Sea-bed
83. In June 1949 the Ruler issued his declaration of rights in the sea-bed
and subsoil contiguous to the territorial waters of Kuwait. Although one or two
companies at that time made enquiries about an off-shore concession it was not
until late in 1952 that a definite approach was made for one by the Standard
Vacuum Oil Company. The Ruler replied that he was unable to take any action
“ until such time as the question of the territorial waters and continental shelf off
Kuwait is settled with Her Majesty’s Government.”!172) At the same time he asked
for an early settlement of this question. Her Majesty’s Government pointed out
the very great difficulty of delimiting the Kuwait sea-bed as negotiations with Iraq,
Saudi Arabia and Persia were involved and offered if the Ruler insisted, to define
a provisional area in which a concessionary company could operate.!173) The Ruler
was not satisfied with this and decided not to grant a concession for his sea-bed
until he knew more exactly the area in which a concessionaire would operate, and
he requested Her Majesty’s Government to use their utmost endeavours to settle
the extent of his jurisdiction at the earliest possible date.(174) He raised the question
when he visited London for Her Majesty’s Coronation and in December 1953 the
Political Resident was instructed to inform him that a map had been prepared
showing the area which might be claimed for Kuwait in any negotiations with her
neighbours.(17i) This would shortly be shown to him for his approval and Her
Majesty’s Government would then endeavour to reach agreement with Iraq and
Saudi Arabia. Persia might be involved later. Should he change his mind and
decide to grant a concession before the boundaries were defined Her Majesty’s
Government would wish to advise him on the precise form in which he could
indicate the extent of the proposed concession area to any interested oil company.
At the same time Her Majesty's Government told the Political Resident that they
had been working on the definition of a “ safe area ” which they would shortly
communicate to him.
(e) Neutral Zone Sea-bed
84. Although the Neutral Zone is defined in the Kuwait-Nejd Boundary
Convention of 1922(I7‘) as being bounded on the east by the sea, Her Majesty s
Government conceded in 1952 that it had both territorial waters and a sea-bed
area and they instructed Her Majesty’s Embassy at Jedda to propose that the
(“•) CR.O. toF.O. Ext. 1934 of September 9, 1947 (T 18691 /1001 /380 of 1947).
(«•*) (E 7717/72/91 of 1948.)
(,T0) (E 185/1531/91 of 1949.)
(1T1) F.O. to Jedda. Despatch 56 of June 6, 1952 (EA 1087/10 of 1952).
(”*) Tel. from Kuwait to P.R. 263 of November 15, 1952 (EA 1531/21 of 1952).
(1IS) FO to P R. Despatch 217 of December 19, 1952 (EA 1531/22 of 1952).
(H Kuwait to F.O. 212/21 /53 of March 14, 1953 (EA 1536/4 of 1953).
(*”) Tel. from F.O. to P.R. 1460 of December 4, 1953 (EA 1536/14 of 1953).
(*”) No. 8 II, T.C.