Negotiations over disputed boundaries between Saudi Arabia and Oman and Eastern Aden Protectorate: discussions on other frontiers of Saudi Arabia

This file relates to boundary disputes between the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman and Saudi Arabia, and the Eastern Aden Protectorate and Saudi Arabia. It contains correspondence on:

• US State Department's attraction to the idea of negotiation or arbitration and British objections (16)
• Suggestion that the US Ambassador at Jedda [Jeddah] be accredited to Muscat so that the US receive a more balanced view before getting involved. It also discusses British concerns that if they accept arbitration for the Aden-Saudi Arabia frontier they will be faced with a similar demand from Yemen (17)
• Suggestion that the land frontier from Buraimi to Dhofar be defined in terms of tribal areas instead of by a geographical line (18)
• Britain's policy to avoid arbitration and its draft replies to the Saudis and the Americans (19)
• Colonial Office view that Britain should try to claim as much as possible to offset exaggerated Saudi claims (20)
• Conversation between L A C Fry and Evan Wilson of the US Embassy about Britain's impending reply to the Saudis and the question of arbitration (21)
• Colonial Office's reluctant agreement to the Foreign Office's draft reply to the Saudi Government (22)
• Colonial Office's reasons for the view that a protest should not be made about the presence of Saudi troops and an Arabain American Oil Company (ARAMCO) drilling party in the area north-west of the Violet Line (23)
• Reports from the US that the Saudi government found HMG's reply unsatisfactory, the need for Britain to take steps to improve Anglo-Saudi relations, and the importance of keeping the disputed area quiet while arbitration takes place (25)
• Note verbale from HMG on behalf of the Sultan of Muscat and Oman Saeed Bin Taimur to the Saudi Arabian Ministry For Foreign Affairs. It concerns Saudi Arabia's frontier with the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, and the Eastern Aden Protectorate (24)
• Directives drafted for the RAF, which might be used if Dhofar frontiers are threatened (26)
• Question of whether the Sultan received copies of communications between HMG and Saudi Arabia (27)
• Note verbale from the Saudi Ministry for Foreign Affairs making a counter declaration of the frontiers and inviting negotiation between the two Governments to solve the problem. It also contains a 1954 map by the Foreign Office Research Department illustrating frontier claims by Ibn Saud. And it also discusses the possibility of military action against the Saudi-backed Imam of Oman Ghalib Al Hina'i in Nizwa (28-29)
• Description of the Saudi frontier with Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Oman and the Aden Protectorate as declared by HMG to the Saudi Government on 4 August and 26 October 1955. It also contains a 1951 map by the Foreign Office Research Department illustrating frontier claims by Ibn Saud and discussion of the circulation of maps to non-officials, including Americans (30)
• Draft note in reply to the Saudi note. It rejects the independence of the Imam of Oman and challenges the Saudi interpretation of the Treaty of Sib [Seeb]. In view of the imminent Nizwa operation the note is not sent immediately (31)