Foreign oil companies in Kuwait and Neutral Zone

This file contains correspondence relating to:

• Status and progress of Shell's operations in Kuwait (21)
• Talks between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia on the future of the Neutral Zone and the intention of the Legal Advisor to the Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr M Husni to continue negotiations for a Kuwait-Iran air services agreement (22)
• Shell's need for a successful outcome to Saudi-Kuwait Neutral Zone negotiations, and related press reports (23)
• Optimistic update from the Assistant State Secretary in Kuwait Ashraf Lutfi on the progress of the Saudi-Kuwait Neutral Zone negotiations in August 1963 (24)
• Press reports that substantive Neutral Zone negotiations will resume in October and Saudi Arabia's refusal to begin negotiations before December (25)
• Shell's request that the Kuwaiti Government allow the delay of concession payments owing to the delay in the Saudi-Kuwait Neutral Zone Agreement and a suggestion that otherwise Shell might abandon its concession after 15 January 1964; Shell's concern about Iran's idea of forming a new neutral zone offshore (26, 28, 32, 34)
• Japanese Arabian Oil Company's (AOC) concern at the possibility of coming under Saudi jurisdiction (27)
• Press reports that AOC has struck oil (29)
• Reports of an agreement between AOC and the Saudi Government regarding the expensing of royalties and consequent alarm in the US State Department (30-31, 35)
• Press reports that AOC has discovered a new oilfield under the Khafji field (33)
• Invitations to Hunting Aerosurveys and Fairey Surveys to tender for a survey of the Neutral Zone land boundaries and plans to resume Saudi-Kuwait talks on 8 December 1963 (36-37)