Page 187 - Records of Bahrain (7) (ii)_Neat

Bahrain-Qatar seabed, 1951-1960 577

(C39/4/4I/61) POLITICAL AOSNCX,
BAHRAIN,
14th Hoy, 1961.

Bir,

I regret that It ha® not been possible to reply
earlier to your letter of the 7th Decorator regarding the
division of the sen-bed between tho States of Bahrain and
Qatar. I have now boon instructed by Ills Majesty* o Goverr.-
merit to Inform you that, aftf?r full consideration of the
facts stated In your letter, thoy oro not prepared to altar
tho decision which wes onnouncod to both Rulers In 1947.'

2. Jn view of 111® Majority's Govornncnt*s responsibility
for the foreign relations of both Bahrain and Qatar, tho
division of tho son-bed between these two Dtntos is a mnttor
in which the decision must rest with HI® Majority's Govern­
ment. Tho boundary line which was announced In December
1947 waa determined in accordance with equitable principles
after careful ©xomlnatlon of tho dolma of both Rulers con­
cerned . Tho 1947 lino 1® therefore t° to regarded as tho
eastern limit of the area of oca-bed over wh.lah tho Rulor of
Bahrain proclaimed his Jurisdiction and control in the pro­
clamation of Juno 1949. This same lino in also the western
limit of the Ruler of Qatar's similar.proclamation of June
1949.
3, Tho two shoals of Dlbal and Joi'ndoh. which nro re- .
ferrod to in tho fourth paragraph of your lottor, arc rc-
gnrdcd no belonging to the Ruler of Bahrain, Thlfl was
node clear In tho announcement by His Majesty's Government
In Doccmber 1947 and It was at tho some timo stated that In
tho opinion of III® Majority's Government neither Dlbal nor
Jnrndeh should bo considered no inlands having territorial
watem. In the light of recent dovolopmont3 In tho low on
this subject, His Majesty's Govcruu.eut lave hud to reconsider
whether either Dlbal or Jaredoh does car 17 territorial waters.
It was for this reason th* t l*.o Secretory of Glare for Foreign
Affairs addrcjiHWl the London representative of tliu Bahrain
Potroloura Coaoany in the terras of tho poxiultii/in to paragraph
of hia lottor* No.HA 1270/63 of 8th November, 1060, of which
a copy was sent to you. At the a&icu time It woo suggested
to tiic Superior Oil Company of America that in view of tho
doubt which existed about the status of the waters around
Dlbal and Jared eh there might bo advantage in thoir coming to
an arrangement with your Company regarding operations in those
water®,
4. A® rwfcarda the reference in tho uighth paragraph of
your lottor to tho boundary marked on tho map which vies pre­
pared in 1938 and which you state was accepted by all parties,
3 era Instructed to inform you that UXs Majesty's Government*8
position in regard to this map is described in paragraph 3 of
/ niy

Tho Chiof Local Representative,
Bahruiu Petroleum Company Ltd • 1
Awali.