HM Government policy in Persian Gulf

This file is part of a sequence of files concerning HMG's policy in the Gulf. It contains a draft of a statement to parliament, including reference to:

• The termination of the special treaty relations between the UK, Bahrain, Qatar, and the seven Trucial States by the end of 1971
• The withdrawal of British forces from the Gulf region
• The termination of HMG's defence agreement with Kuwait
• HMG supporting the development of a Union of Arab Emirates
• A Treaty of Friendship between the UK, Bahrain, Qatar, and the seven Trucial States.

This file also contains correspondence relating to:

• A Daily Telegraph cutting, 'Future of Britain's Gulf bases', 16 February 1971
• A report by W H T Luce regarding his visit around the Gulf in February 1971, informing the Rulers of HMG’s decisions regarding future policy in the Gulf, and the political and military arrangements which the UK is prepared to offer a union
• Luce’s audience with the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, where they discussed the disputed islands of Abu Musa and the Tunbs, and the Union of Arab Emirates
• The planning of training and liaison visits to the Gulf after 1971
• Newspaper articles commenting on HMG's future policy in the Gulf
• Letters between Prime Minister Edward Heath and Winston Churchill MP regarding their views on the problems in the Gulf
• Parliamentary questions by John Wilkinson, David Lane, Carol Mather and Patrick Wall relating to a possible statement on Gulf policy
• A letter from the Iranian Minister for Foreign Affairs Ardeshir Zahedi to the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary Sir Alec Douglas-Home discussing Luce’s visit to the Gulf
• A memorandum by Wall concerning the dangers of withdrawing British troops from the Gulf, such as Soviet Union becoming an oil-importing nation, and the oil of the Gulf being on its doorstep
• The Abu Dhabi-Saudi Arabia frontier dispute
• The question of whether the union should consist of nine or fewer Gulf states
• The Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan insisting that Bahrain should be a member of the union
• A memorandum by A A Acland stating that the French are going to be the UK’s competitors in the Gulf
• Luce’s visit to Washington, DC
• A memorandum by A E Davidson proposing that the Foreign Secretary should make a statement to parliament in the first half of February
• Conversations between the Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, G G Arthur, Luce, J F Walker and D Slater
• A conversation between the Ruler of Sharjah Sheikh Khalid Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Arthur, Luce, Walker and Slater
• A conversation between Sheikh Zayed, Arthur, Luce and C J Treadwell.