Preparations for UAE independence

This file concerns preparations for the termination of the special treaties between Britain and each of the Trucial States and the accession to sovereign statehood of six states as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It contains correspondence relating to:

• The preparation of a Treaty of Friendship between Britain and the UAE to replace the special treaties, setting out a new relationship comprising mutual understanding and cooperation without control of foreign affairs or a defence commitment beyond an agreement to consult in time of need
• Questions surrounding the defence of the new state, including the establishment of armed forces for the UAE, the secondment and legal status of British personnel and the handover of the Trucial Oman Scouts
• Legislative arrangements for the new state, including agreements on retroceding jurisdiction to each of the Trucial States Rulers and according diplomatic immunity to the Political Resident and his staff
• Arrangements for civil aviation and possible future military staging and overflight rights
• A public competition to design the flag for the new State
• Uncertainty around Ras Al Khaimah’s future relation to the Union caused particularly by Iran’s claim to the Tunb Islands
• The difficulty of finding a suitable legal translator to prepare Arabic documentation
• The future of Pakistani prisoners held in Dubai and Sharjah, and Pakistan’s refusal to repatriate them
• The establishment of the first British Embassy to the UAE split between the former Political Agencies of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.