NB 10/11 CONFIDENTIAL BRITISH EMBASSY BAGHDAD 3/12 1 July 1975 The Hon IT M Lucas Middle East Department FCO cc Dearlver, SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS IN THE PERSIAN GULF 1. Having seen a minute of 9 June by Williams in Marine and Transport Department, it is clear that my letter of 31 May has roused some anxiety. The fault is mine, no doubt, since I was recording from memory, having taken no note at the time. certainl Obscurit ormed was their own ised 2. My firm impression was that Jamali was speaking of a time when the territorial sea has been extended to 12 miles and the economic zone to 200. This will close the Straits of Hormuz and entitle the littoral states to some measure of control over virtually the whole Gulf. The Iraqis want to maintain the right of free passage for their ships, merchant and naval, and so take the same view as we do on international straits which are closed by the extension to 12 miles. What exactly they have in mind for the rest of the Gulf is certainly obscure and I must plead guilty to contributing to the obscurity by using the phrase "innocent passage". The impression I formed was that they will certainly want to ensure the right of their own warships to circulate freely. I should not be at all surprised if they tried in addition to ensure that the warships of non littoral states only came to the Gulf for visits to littoral states, and did not establish patrols there on their own. But this did not emerge at all clearly and nothing we said to Jamali could have been taken as encouragement to press this - though if it kept Russian Warships out it might not be a bad bargain. I did say, as I recorded in my letter, that it was important for all definitions to be consistent with the Law of the Sea Conference. copied to J A N Graham Jedda v Abu Dhabi u Muscalu CONFIDENTIAL Adeno R.C. Samuel Washinglov
