State finance

This file relates to Qatar’s finances. It contains correspondence concerning:

• Budget for Qatar drawn up by P L Plant
• Question of increased allowances for members of the Al Thani family
• Discussions about an increase in the oil royalty payments to the Ruler of Qatar Sheikh Ali Bin Abdulla Al Thani; details of the reasons for the Ruler’s demand for an increase including that other Rulers are receiving more, the prices in Qatar are increasing and that his father was at a disadvantage in previous negotiations; HMG’s advice that the Ruler approach the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) directly; Petroleum Concessions Limited’s (PCL) agreement to a rate increase upon the fulfilment of certain conditions and the Ruler’s unfavourable reaction to this; and a draft agreement between PCL and the Ruler
• Ruler of Qatar’s intervention on behalf of merchants in Doha who are at a disadvantage because of a customs regime that favours Petroleum Development (Qatar) Limited (PDQ)
• HMG’s advice to Plant on how to invest Qatar’s monetary reserves