Boundary between East Aden Protectorate and Muscat and Oman p.45

FCO 8/586 1967-1968
Annex 1. Muscat - Abu Dhabi

As Your Highness knows, this frontier was
investigated and settled by Mr. Walker in 1959, with
the exception of the last four miles or so from Naga
Zahar to Umm al Zamul. Your Highness will recall that,
as a result of my investigations in 1964, it was
agreed that the frontier should continue in a direct
line towards Umm Al Zamul but that the vicinity of this
well be regarded as a neutral zone, tne extent of which
was defined as one square mile centred on the main
(i.e. eastern) well.

The whole line from Umm al Zamul northwards to
Al Uqaidat was then carefully surveyed by the Royal
Engineers (13th Field Survey Regiment), and, as a
result of their work, this line was accurately plotted
on air photographs and maps. Your Highness has already
received copies of these air photographs. The printing
of all the relevant maps has not yet been completed, but
I shall do my best to ensure that copies of them reach
you as soon as they are ready for distribution.

In the course of my investigation of this line
with the Royal Engineers, it became apparent that the
description of the frontier in the agreement signed by
Your Highness and Shaikh Shakhbut bin Sultan on 21 May,
1959, was inaccurate and inadequate in places. To
remedy this, and to obviate, as far as possible, any
ambiguities of interpretation, I have prepared a fuller
description of this frontier, a copy of which I have
the honour to attach as Appendix A to this Annex.
I must emphasise that this is in no sense a new
agreement. It merely serves to expand and clarify,
where necessary, the original document, incorporating
compass bearings and other technical data supplied by
the Royal Engineers, and to correct the errors in it.

In addition to this survey, I undertook, with the
agreement of Your Highness and Shaikh Shakhbut bin Sultan,
the former Ruler of Abu Dhabi, to mark on the ground the
frontier in the Buraimi area. These markers, which
consist of metal posts in a concrete base, start at
Qurn Awyan, approximately 15 miles north of Sa'arah, and
continue to Sha'ab al Ghaf on the western side of the
Jebel Hafit. As Your Highness knows, this operation
proved more difficult and lengthy than had been
anticipated, certain points on the frontier being
disputed by one of the two parties concerned. Some
of these disputes were resolved, as at Tawi Awaina, by
slight modifications of the original line, which are
incorporated in the revised description. Others
continue to give rise, from time to time, to minor com plaints. At the request of Your Highness, I have the
honour to attach, at Appendix B to this Annex, a list of
the points still disputed and my views on these disputes.