British government policy in Persian Gulf

This file concerns policy debates around the British military withdrawal from ‘East of Suez’ following the electoral victory of the Conservative Party under Edward Heath, who had earlier pledged to reverse the withdrawal. It contains correspondence relating to:

• Question of prolonging the British defence role in the Gulf, and whether this will really serve Britain’s interests
• Coverage in the Arab, Iranian and British press on the possible continuation of the British presence in the Gulf; including a satirical cartoon in the Daily News
• Consultations with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Rulers on the region’s future
• Discussions between the Foreign Secretary Sir Alec Douglas-Home and the French Prime Minister Jacques Chaban-Delmas covering the Gulf and various other international issues
• Parliamentary questions on the Gulf and the British withdrawal from East of Suez
• Views of Pakistan and Kuwait on the future of the Gulf and Britain’s role in the region
• Current political situation in the Gulf, including Iran’s claims to the Abu Musa and Tunb Islands, and the stalled implementation of the nine-state Union of Arab Emirates agreed on in 1968
• Appointment of Sir W H T Luce as the Personal Representative of the Foreign Secretary to coordinate British policy in the Gulf, and G G Arthur as the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf
• Consultations with the head of British Petroleum (BP) on Gulf politics