Page 335 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

Turkish interests and Persian claims, 1906-1909 325

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CONFIDENTIAL.

Sir Edward Grey to Mr. Grant Duff'{Tehran),
(No. 28.)
(Telegraphic.) Foreign OJp.ee, February 0, 1900, 4 p.m.
YOUR telegram No. 24 [of 25th January : Bahrein].
It appears that although wo have never acquiesced iu Persian Government’s
pretensions, we have not made to them definite statement of our views, and present
opportunity should bo taken of doing so.
You should receive Persian note aud reply iu following terms :—
Treaties of 1809, 1814, and 1S57 have always been scrupulously observed by His
Majesty's Government, but have no bearing on present question. Wo have never
admitted ownership or sovereignty of Persia over Bahrein, and such a claim is wholly
inadmissible.
Wo consider island and its inhabitants to be under British protection, and must
decline to entertain auy further representations on the subject. This has been
invariable roply to Turkish Government, who have on several occasions advanced a
claim to Bahrein. You should refer to action taken by British authorities for protection
of Porsian traders in November 1904, and to terms of telegram sent on that occasion
by Mushir-cd-Dowleh to Persian community in island. (Seo Major Cox of 17th
December, 1904.)
You should conclude by statin" that we must therefore maintain our right to uso
good ofliccs on behalf of Bahreineso in Persia : you are instructed to report if auy eases
occur of their being subjected to molestation or injustice at bauds of Persian
authorities, in which event we will consider what further action is necessary.