Muscat and Oman: internal situation

This file relates to the dispute between the Imam of Oman, Ghalib Bin Ali Al Hina'i, and the Sultan of Muscat and Oman Saeed Bin Taimur concerning the sovereignty of Interior Oman. It covers correspondence on:

• The unsuitable nature of Sunaina for a Muscat and Oman Field Force (MOFF) post
• A memorandum given to the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Abdul Khalek Hassouna, containing background information on the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman
• A summary of recent events up to July 1955 from the Sultan’s Minister for Foreign affairs Neil Innes
• The submission of the Bani Qitab to the Sultan
• The suggestion by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Mana Bin Birahana to take possession of El Ghabi [Al Ghabi]
• The issue of monthly payments from the Sultan to the tribal Sheikhs and cash paid to them by the Saudis
• Reports in the press of the Imam's application to join the Arab League and the Sultan’s visit to Baghdad
• The strategic options open to the Sultan
• Information that the Imam’s brother Taleb Bin Ali Al Hina’i is to visit the Buraimi/Khil [Kahil] area and Ibri, and plans to arrest him
• Dealings with Sheikh Sulaiman Bin Himyar Al Nabhani Chief of the Bani Riyam
• The movement of geological parties in the Dhahira, Sur and Ras Al Hadd areas
• A mission of Egyptian and Saudi Arabian agents to the Iman in Nizwa, including Egyptian Emissary Sheikh Mohammad Bin Ibrahim Itfeesh, reportedly to enlist local soldiers to be maintained by Egyptian funds
• The functioning of the customs post in Kahil
• Reports on Ibri from Petroleum Development (Oman) Limited (PDO)
• Lists of the tribes in the Interior with analysis of their loyalties
• PDO's employment of Duru tribesmen
• An RAF application for air passage from Sharjah to Salalah and returning, by Major Maxwell
• The dissatisfaction of Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdulla Al Ya'aqubi of Ibri
• The report that an aircraft is to collect Sheikh Sulaiman, Saleh Bin Issa of Qabil, Ibrahim Bin Saeed al Ibri from Hamra, Mohammad Bin Abdulla Al Salami from Badiyah, Taleb Bin Ali Al Hina’i from Rustaq and Ahmad Bin Abdulla Bin Hilal from Nizwa and take them to Egypt
• Visits of Omani tribal leaders to the Sultan at Salalah.