Gulf Heads of Mission Conference, Bahrain, January 1985

This file relates to the Gulf Heads of Mission Conference in Bahrain held on 11 January 1985, involving the British representatives at the Embassies in: Bahrain, Jeddah, Kuwait, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Aden, Sana'a, Baghdad and Tehran. It contains, records of meetings and correspondence concerning:

• Opening of the meeting by the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Richard Luce
• Questions of the collation and distribution of briefs on various topics to the Embassies invited
• Weather, clothing, travel and accommodation arrangements for the Ambassadors in Bahrain
• Kuwaiti, Saudi and Qatari press interest in Luce’s attendance at the conference
• Luce’s report on the meeting
• Gifts from the Amir of Bahrain Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa to the conference attendees of gold watches and pearls; and the British Embassy in Bahrain’s question as to what to do with these gifts
• Checklist of points to be followed up from the meeting
• List of proposed Heads of Mission Conferences worldwide for 1985-86, including in the Gulf, which is possibly scheduled for Summer 1985
• Question of the amount of resources to be allocated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to future Heads of Mission conferences

This file also contains the various briefs for the agenda of the Gulf Heads of Mission Meeting, concerning:

• Petrochemicals and refined products trade between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Economic Community
• Commercial view from the Council for Middle East Trade (COMET)
• Arab-Israeli conflict; the activities of the British Council and cultural relations; commercial and trade relations, particularly the value of UK exports to the Gulf and market share
• Defence sales, including a list of major opportunities by country
• Saudi Arabia’s internal political situation, including the initial impressions of the new British Ambassador P R H Wright
• Prospects for the international oil market and the economies of the Gulf countries
• Defence and political situation of the GCC
• Guidelines for the sale of military equipment to Iran and Iraq
• British interests in various Gulf countries