Supply of arms

This file contains correspondence relating to:

• Conversation between Ambassador G G Arthur and Kuwait Minister of Defence Sheikh Sa'ad Al Abdulla Al Sabah about the Eilat Incident involving Egypt and Israel in October 1967, and Sheikh Sa'ad's request for information about the vessels and missiles concerned. It includes papers prepared by the Ministry of Defence on 'The Eilat Incident', 'The OSA-Komar Short Range Surface-to-Surface Cruise Missile System' and Counter-measures to the Komar Threat' of which the latter two are intended for the Ambassador's information
• Approval of the Foreign Office for the provision of 2 inch rockets to Kuwait Air Force
• Approach by Kuwaiti Ambassador at Washington DC Talat Al Ghoussein to the US State Department in connection with the possible supply of naval vessels to Kuwait Navy
• Letter from A Ibbott to J A N Graham about the meeting between Sheikh Sa'ad and Secretary of State for Defence Denis Healey concerning the purchase of arms for Kuwait, and in particular the orders for tanks, armoured vehicles and Hunter aircraft involving Vickers Limited, Alvis Car and Engineering Company Limited, and Hawker Siddeley Aviation Limited; an offer for a team of experts to visit Kuwait to advise on requirements of military equipment; and the brief for carrying out the studies promised by Secretary Healey to Sheikh Sa'ad
• Letters of introduction provided by Graham to a member of Kuwait Foreign Service Sayyed Ali Mishari Al Hilal Al Mutairi, travelling on behalf of Sheikh Duaij Al Salman Al Sabah, and interested in representing Handley Page Limited, Brooke Marine Limited, Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited, Short Brothers and Harland Limited and Redifon Limited in Kuwait
• Request for advice by Kuwait Army Liaison Team about whether Kuwait Air Force should adopt the Swiss Hispano Suiza Sura or French Hotchkiss Brendt SNEB rockets for their aircraft
• Foreign Office approval for the sale of a Lightning MK 53 flight simulator to Kuwait Air Force
• State of current negotiations over supplies of Saladin armoured fighting vehicles, Saracen command vehicles, and Saracen armoured personnel carriers to the Kuwait Army
• A 'Note on [a] Visit to Kuwait, 21-23 March 1968' by Head of Defence Sales J R Christie
• Report on Sheikh Sa'ad's visit to Paris, discussion of military affairs, cooperation between France and Kuwait, and invitation of Pierre Messmer to visit Kuwait, in the daily Al Rai Al Aam; and a conversation between Arthur and Sheikh Sa'ad about the visit of a French arms sales mission over the coming fortnight to negotiate the supply of tanks, missiles and aircraft
• Meeting between Arthur and Sheikh Sa'ad on the mandate for the team of experts to 'examine and make recommendations' to the Minister of Defence and the state of Kuwait on the 'expansion and re-equipment of the armed forces' during the period from 1968 to 1973