Page 76 - Records of Bahrain (7) (ii)_Neat

466 Records of Bahrain
CONFIDENTIAL
(10810/39/34)
%

I 7 JAM 66
PERSIAN CLAIM TO BAHRAIN /
<S>
On August 20 the British Embassy at Tehran received
a note from the l’orolan Ministry of Foreign Affoiro doted
August l\ stating that us Bahrain io part of Persia, foreign
uiroruft cannot land there and that transport of freight
und passengers hy foreign aircraft from Bahrain to other
parts of Persia io prohibited, while Iranian permission
is required for their transport from Bahrain to other
destinations. The text of this Note io contained in the
Annex to this Memorandum.
2. As a result of instructions from the Foreign Office,
Her Majesty's Ambassador caw the Persian Foreign Minister
on August 21 and said that, unless Monsieur Entezam would
himself v/ithdruv; the note, he would have to refuse to accept
it. Sir Roger Stevens left Monsieur Entezam in no doubt
regarding Her Majesty's Government's entire unwillingness
to discuss the status of Bahrain und expressed Mr. Eden* 3
disappointment that the matter should have been brought
forward at u time when relations between the United Kingdom
und Persia had taken so marked a turn for the better.
Monsieur Elitezam said he had no knowledge whatever of the
despatch of the note in question and asked for time to
I invcstigutc.
3. Sir Roger Stevens saw Monsieur Entezam later in the
same day when Mr. Henderson, the United States Ambassador,
was also present. It then transpired that the note had
been sent to all diplomatic missions in Tehran. Though
this hud been done without his authority, Monsieur Entezam
felt that it was, in tho circumstances, ijoliticully impossible
for him to withdraw a communication which had already received
so wide a distribution. He eventually agreed, however, to
uccepl back the copies which had been delivered to the British
and United Stutcs Embassies, but only on the understanding
that the fuct of our non-aeccptanoe of the note would not
be publicised.
4. Sir Roger Elevens, on instructions subsequentJy
informed tho Minister of Foreign Affairs that if the incident
were given any publicity Her Majesty's Government would be
obliged to state that the note had been i*eturned.
I
3. It was reported in the Jorduniun press on Gepteiiibcr
20 that the Jordan Ministry of Foreign Affairs hud received
a memorandum from the Iranian Governmonb requiring that
Jordun aircruft wishing to land on airports in Bahrain
should obtain landing permission from the Iranian Government.
In response to un enquiry by Her Majesty's Embassy, the
Jordun Ministry of Foreign Affuirs confirmed that the
memorandum hud been received und said that no reply or
acknowledgement had boon oent to the Persian Government.
The Ministry said that the mutter might be discussed at the
Council of tho Arub League,
6. On December 1 the Arub League Political Committee
discussed u memorandum submitted by the Jorduniun Government
. on tlris subject. Abdul Khalok Ilussouna, Secretury-Generul
of the Arab League, later declared thut the Committee had
/decided

i