Page 99 - Records of Bahrain (7) (ii)_Neat

Saudi Arabia-Bahrain seabed boundary, 1951-1958 489
BRITISH' RESIDliNCY,

r-ONUTnKNTTAB. BAHRAIN.
1000/9 2nd June, 1951.
Ploaoo refor to your letter 70/l/51 of May 22nd ubout the line
dividing the oca-bed and nub-noil arcan appertaining renpcctivcly
to the Neutral Zono and to Saudi Arabia. So far an I can dincover
from our filoo no formal deoinion ban yot been tuken regarding the
principle on which we think such linen ohould be drawn, but our view
appoaro to be much oloner to Arainco'n idea than to KaePhernon'o.
2. In 19U9 a Joint report was drawn up (the Ooggn-Kennedy report)
by a member of tho State Department and a member of the Admiralty
regarding an orderly and equitable longitudinal line und lateral
jurisdiction linen in the Persian Gulf. In denoribing the principle
v/hich they followed in drawing tho lateral linen the report otaten:
"It in proponed that the following method or technique bo
applied in laying down the lateral limitu (trannverne linen):
Dcncribe a acrlon of arcs of circlcn, beginning at a
radius of three nautical inllcn, and at increments of three
nautical miles, drawn from all points on the L.VV. line of the
jnalnland of the contiguous ntatos. Murk the intersections
of the envelopes of arcs of 3-niLlc, 6-milev 12-mllo radius,
etc. - each envelope -drawn from the mainland of ono state as
if the land of the adjacent state v/crc water instead of land.
Connect tho seaward terminus of the boundary within territorial
waters (at the intersection of the envelope of arcs of 3-mile
radius) with tho intersection of the envelope of arcs of 6-milo
radius; and then connect tho successive intersections of the
envelopes of arcs of circles us drawn above. This line, it io
proposed, will be used as the lateral limit of jurisdiction
of contiguous states all the way from the coast to the median
line, except whero it is mutually agreed to udopt a modification
thereof bccauoo it appears not to constitute a fair und just
division of the waters concerned, or because it is unacceptable
for any othqr reanons."
I do not know whether the report, or this part of it, hao yet been
formally acknowledged as stating His Majesty's Government1s considered
views.
3. There arc of course a number of other ouch lateral lines to be
decided and since, so far as I know, no concessions have yet been
granted for the sea-bed areas of either Kuwait or the Neutral Zone
tho othoro seem to require decision firot, and for the time being
I think it would bo better not to any anything to LlacPhcrson.
K. I am copying this letter, with yours under reference, to Eastern
Department.

(C.M. Ic Quesne)

H.G. Jakins, Esq •»
Political Agont,
Kuwait.