Ruling family of Muscat

This file concerns the formulation of measures that the Sultan of Muscat and Oman Saeed Bin Taimur will take to improve his administration and secure his position, including ways of strengthening the military; increasing his sources of revenue; and improving and accelerating development programmes. It contains correspondence on:

• Records of conversations between the Sultan and J A Profumo, J F Walker, W D Ormsby-Gore, A R Walmsley and G H Middleton
• The Sultan's visit to the UK in January 1954 including a statement issued by the Sultan regarding the purpose of this visit and a letter of recommendation for exchange of 10,000 US dollars
• A further visit by the Sultan to the UK in the summer, including the agreed minute initialled on 9 September 1959 by Ormsby-Gore and the Sultan containing outlines of short-term and longer-term measures that the Sultan will seek to implement
• Plans for financing and implementing the proposed measures, including the setting up of a working party to cover both the civil development and military measures, and the search for a British officer to head the military side of this working party
• Two papers, prepared by the Sultan's Military Secretary P R M Waterfield setting out the additional financial provision considered necessary in 1960-61 for the Sultan's Armed Forces and for other agreed short-term military measures
• The provision of wireless sets for the walis in Oman.

The file also contains:

• An extract from a report from 1899 commenting on the indifference of then Sultan of Muscat and Oman Faisal Bin Turki towards the state of affairs in his country
• The progress of the education of Qaboos Bin Saeed in the UK, his plans for the summer and his application to study at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
• The search for a suitable English secretary for the Sultan
• Concerns about the Sultan's personal expenditure
• The delays in the Sultan's planned return from Salalah to Muscat.