Page 141 - Records of Bahrain (7) (i)_Neat

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Constitutional reforms, 1955 127
SECRET 3

EA 1016/4 No. 3
kecord of a conversation between the secretary of state
ANI) THE RULER OF BAHRAIN, FEBRUARY 21, 1955
Foreign Office,
(Confidential) February 28, 1955.
The Secretary of Slate was received by the Ruler at the Palace of Shaikh
Abdullah outside the airfield. After the usual exchange of compliments and
politenesses had been completed the Secretary of Stale said that he and Her
Majesty’s Government had followed with sympathy the difficulties which had
jrisen in Bahrain in recent months. He fell it was desirable that the Bahrain
Government should explain their policy to the people, both what they were doing ;
.iihI what they intended to do in the future. All Governments found it necessary
io guide public opinion in this manner. Her Majesty’s Government were doing it
continuously. The Ruler replied that lie was keeping the people informed by
means of Government announcements, newspapers and magazines and that lie
would welcome any further suggestions for action which the Government should
lake. He asked whether the Secretary of Stale considered the actions of the
Bahrain'Government to be good or bad and he said that the Bahrain Government
wished to receive the help of Her Majesty’s Government both in external and i
internal matters. The Secretary of Slate replied that we appreciated the progress
which had been made in Bahrain but that just because people now were belter
educated and had lime to look round it was impossible to stand still. The difficulty
was that the more progressive a country was the faster people wanted to change
it still further. As regards the Ruler’s request for help it would be necessary to
consider problems as they arose and to discuss them between us. There might
he differences of opinion about the fiming of further measures but if we could
agree we could naturally let it be known that we supported the view of the Bahrain
Govcrumcnt.

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