Visit of Lord Carrington, Secretary of State for Defence, to Saudi Arabia and Oman, 8-13 April 1973

This file concerns the UK Secretary of State for Defence Lord Carrington's [Peter Carington] visit to Saudi Arabia and Oman in April 1973 to underline the recent improvement in Anglo-Saudi relations. This was the highest level visit by a British minister to Oman since the Sultan of Oman Qaboos Bin Saeed Al Saeed's accession. It contains correspondence relating to Lord Carrington's meetings with the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sayyed Omar Saqqaf on 11 April, the Ruler of Saudi Arabia King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on 10 April, the Second Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on 10 April, the Saudi Minister of Defence and Aviation Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on 10 April, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on 10 April, the Commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard Prince Abdulla Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on 10 April, and the Sultan on 12 April. Topics discussed include:

• The Arab-Israeli conflict
• Anglo-Saudi relations
• Oman and the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR)
• Kuwait and Iraq
• Arab terrorism
• Egypt and Libya
• The Saudi Arabian Air Defence Scheme (SAADS)
• Israel and Lebanon
• Britain and Iraq
• South Yemen (PDRY)
• The campaign in Dhofar
• British contributions
• Oman and Libya
• Oman

This file also contains correspondence relating to:

• A proposal by Lord Carrington to send letters of thanks to Omar Saqqaf, Prince Abdulla, Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the Mayor of Riyadh, the Sultan, the Commander of the Royal Bodyguard and Air Commodore Kearon and others
• A cutting from the Daily Telegraph, 'Carrington visits Oman war zone', 13 April 1973
• The question of whether the Saudi Government intend to give the signature of the letter of intent (for the SAADS) any publicity
• Daily press summaries for 9, 10, 11 and 12 April 1973
• A draft message from the Queen to King Faisal
• Political, steering, personality, defence sales, defence relations, and naval visits briefs, concerning Saudi Arabia and Oman
• The conditions of loaned personnel in Oman
• The Masirah and Salalah Agreements
• The air defence of Oman
• Background information on Saudi Arabia and Oman