Page 180 - The Origins of the United Arab Emirates_Neat

146 7he Origins oj the United Arab Emirates

words ‘for the present’. Fowlc, pointing out that five months had
already passed since the signing of the concession, argued, ‘I think
it may reasonably be assumed that this period is longer than is
covered by these words.*17
Petroleum Concessions was not eager to antagonise Sultan, espe­
cially as it could be argued that five months was only a short
period.18 In May 1938, Fowlc reiterated his plan as the only means
by which the company could enter Fa’iyah. Me suggested that
Petroleum Concessions inform Sultan that, in view of his inability
to arrange for the visit, it would invoke the political agreement
and apply to the Political Resident for help. Fowlc would then
tell the shaykh that the period covered by ‘for the present* had
expired, and the company would have to make its own arrange­
ments.19 The Resident stressed that the company should make no
reference to the ownership of the Jabal:

not withstanding the fact that they eventually explored this area
through some agency than that of the Shaikh, it might suit
the Company later to develop it . . . under the Sharjah concession.
It is impossible to foretell how things will turn out on the Trucial
Coast, and both the Company and ourselves should try and
keep our hands as free as possible.20

A. C. B. Symon, Assistant Principal at the India Office, expressed
doubts as to the ethics of Fowlc’s methods. He did not agree
that the political agreement was intended to override specific under­
takings by the company, especially as there was no proof that
Sultan had failed to take such steps as were reasonably possible
to make the area available to geologists.21 Fowle was asked for
more information to support his plan, but the Resident stood firm.
‘My opinion is as expressed previously.’22 He could not sec any
of the nuances of the situation. The ruler of Sharjah had been
unable to arrange for the company to visit Fa’iyah; if the company
wished to go, his was the only feasible plan. ‘If we are not to
pursue this course of action, as far as I can see the Company
must remain out of Jabal Faiyah.’23 Symon still had misgivings
about the possible illegalities of the situation and was annoyed
at the Resident: ‘it looks as though Sir T. Fowlc has burked
the main issue’.24
Luckily for all concerned, however, Petroleum Concessions changed
its plans for dispatching a party direct to Jabal Fa’iyah, and decided
instead to include the area in a wider scheme of exploration in
Oman. This involved sending out simultaneously, in the winter
of 1938, two parties: one to proceed from Muscat to ‘Ibri and
then north to Jabal Hafit, and the other to meet it there after