Page 103 - The Arabian Gulf States_Neat

RELATIONS WITH KUWAIT 41
the full independence of Kuwait, paved the way for the recognition of
the new independent status of Kuwait by foreign States. Nearly within
two years of her independence Kuwait succeeded in joining the mem­
bership of the United Nations Organisation and a number of its
Specialised Agencies.1
At present, Kuwait is sui juris, and she, therefore, falls outside the
sui generis category of the ‘British Protected States’ of the Arabian
Gulf over which the British tutelage system still prevails in full force.
As the purpose of this study is to explore and evaluate this British
protectorate system that has been governing the Gulf region for the
last hundred years or so, it would, therefore, seem necessary, in order
to understand fully the former legal status of Kuwait, to devote this
chapter to an analysis of British treaty relations with Kuwait prior
to 1961. Generally, before 1961, the relationship of the United King­
dom with Kuwait was based on the Agreement of 1899, which to­
gether with a number of undertakings and engagements conferred
upon the British Crown a privileged position vis-a-vis Kuwait. But
before 1899, Kuwait was considered to be under the suzerainty of the
Ottoman Porte who conferred on the ruler the title of ‘Qaim-maqam’
and received from him an annual tribute.2
As late as 1893 the British Government appeared to have regarded
Kuwait as a Turkish vassal or ‘fief’. In a statement made by Sir C.
Ford, the British Ambassador at Constantinople, in April 1893, the
Turkish Government was officially informed that the British Govern­
ment ‘admitted the existence of a Turkish sovereignty along the coast
from Basra to Qatif*.3 This statement impliedly included Kuwait
within the Turkish sphere of influence. A few years later, however,
the British Government changed its attitude with regard to the status
of Kuwait and adopted a different line. Thus in reply to inquiries
made by P. Currie about the views of Her Majesty’s Government
regarding Kuwait, the British Government made it known that it had
never admitted Kuwait to be under Turkish protection, but that it
did not, however, deny the existence of Turkish influence in Kuwait.1
Commander Baker on his visit to Kuwait in July 1896 formed the
impression that Kuwait although in theory an independent princi­
pality had fallen greatly under Turkish influence.5
Shaikh Mubarak, then ruler of Kuwait, made overtures in August
1897 to the British authorities in the Arabian Gulf, expressing his
wish to place his country under British protection in order to prevent
annexation by Turkey. The Shaikh’s request was refused by the

1 See below, pp. 112-14, 251. 2 Lorimer, pp. 1002-12.
3 Ibid., pp. ioi6—17; Saldanha, A Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab
Littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa and Katif Affairs (1904), pp. 135-42.
4 Lorimer, pp. 1017-19; Saldanha, Precis, op. cit.
6 Lorimer, pp. 1019-20; Saldanha, Precis, op', cit.