CONFIDENTIAL 231 13th August, 1968 -. 23252/147/68 346 Please refer to your letter 5/12 of 6th August to Paul Howell about the T.s. Development Fund. As you know he is on leave until the end of September. 2. We have as yet no very precise idea of what will emerge from the appraisal which we intend to make of the economic and development factors in the Trucial States in the late autumn. Much will depend on how much information is available from the Development office and from yourself and others in the area. We have also not yet decided whether it will be necessary to bring in anyone from London to help with some of the specialised aspects. By the time you receive this letter you will have had an opportunity to discuss the scope and methodology of the appraisal with Barrie Hudson. ailable autumn. Much witors in the Truc make of the 3. Broadly what is proposed is, as Paul Howell has said, an examination designed to reveal the scope of future development needs, identify economic and social priorities and - we hope - devise a simple integrated programme of development for the area with an estimate of overall costs but unrelated to an immediate or specific time factor. The appraisal, when it has been completed, will therefore give an indication of the importance of various development projects, which could then be related to the capital funds likely to be available from any source. It will have to draw attention to the problem of rising recurrent costs and attempt to give orders of magnitude for this. 4. I see no reason why a statement on these lines should not be made to the Rulers if you think it would be helpful, particularly in restraining them from jumping the gun. They will have anyway to be told at some stage what is proposed as their co-operation will be necessary. 5. I am sending copies of this letter to the recipients of yours. (Hugh Parry) M. S. Weir, Esq., British Residency, Bahrain. CONFIDENTIAL
