HM Government policy in Persian Gulf

This file relates to British policy in the Gulf, in particular the plans for the British military withdrawal from the region. It contains correspondence, briefs, and records of conversations concerning:

• The tour of the Gulf by W H T Luce, including visits to the Trucial States, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and the United Arab Republic; and his meetings with their respective Rulers to discuss British Gulf policy and the future of the region, in particular the subjects of the disputed Gulf islands, and the success of the Union of Arab Emirates
• Luce’s meetings with US officials concerning the Gulf
• Luce’s report on the conclusions drawn from his tour, primarily that a union of nine is not feasible and a way must be found to extricate Bahrain and Qatar from it, alongside the issue of the future of the Gulf islands
• The visit of the US Secretary of State Dr Henry Kissinger to the UK, and a brief for ministers on the subject of the Gulf
• The discussions between the Foreign Secretary Alec Douglas-Home and the Prime Minister Edward Heath on Luce’s visit and the Gulf
• Muammar Gaddafi’s speech on the Gulf, and Libyan attitudes to the subject
• Media reports and newspaper articles on British policy in the Gulf, including from the press in the UK, Iraq, Iran and South Yemen
• Israeli attitudes to British Gulf policy
• The parliamentary question from Patrick Wall MP asking the Foreign Secretary to make a further statement on the British position in the Gulf
• The visit of the Foreign Secretary to the UN, and briefing on the subject of the Gulf for the trip
• The Chiefs of Staff and Defence and Overseas Policy Committee’s meetings on the Gulf
• The inclusion of the Gulf and, in particular the UAE, in the Queen’s speech in Parliament
• The discussion between Amir Khosrow Afshar and Luce on the elements needed to settle the disputed islands question
• The establishment of a Military Advisory Team (MAT) in the UAE.

This file also contains records of Cabinet documents that have been removed and which can be found in the relevant Cabinet series.