JH From: Mr P.D.J. Fletcher From: Mr P.D.J. Fletcher CONFIDENTIAL MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DIRECTORATE OF MILITARY SURVEY Elmwood Avenue, FELTHAM, Middlesex Telephone: Feltham 3622 Ext. Our reference: 80 2/Svy 3 BĘCEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 5 22 November 1967 23 NOV 1967 BCH Dear Gent EASTERN ADEN PROTECTORATE - MUSCAT & OMAN BOUNDARY Having tried several times to reach you by telephone on Monday afternoon and Tuesday this week, I feel that I should delay no longer in letting you know the results of our discussions with Beydoun and Mackintosh on the above boundary. It became apparent early on that Jabel Sadakh is not a prominent or easily recognisable feature and it was extremely difficult to reach a decision from the material we had available. However, Beydoun was quite convinced that Jebel Sadakh would (logically enough) be associated with the Wadi of the same name and that the tendency in this region is to apply the name to the high ground at the head of the wadi, Accepting this and Beydoun's description of the way Jebel Sadakh was depicted on the Pan Hadhramant Oil Company map on which the boundary was later drawn, we believe that a fairly prominent feature at grid reference XU 8294 on the western side of Wadi Sadakh is the most likely to be acceptable as the position of the Jebel. This feature is only prominent, however, in the sense that it rises slightly above the surrounding land which, as you know, is plateau country with deeply incised wadis. There is not very much variation in height on top of the plateau. Moreover, our suggested position for Jebel Sadakh leaves the Wadi Habarut some distance to the west and almost entirely within South Arabian territory except for a short section near Habarut Fort. If there is any question of the Sultan having access to Wadi Habarut, the new position for the Jebel would deny this, though it is more consonant with the Sultan's previous idea that Jebel Sadakh lies nearly on a straight line between Habarut Fort and Ras Darbat Ali. PG One final point which both Beydoun and Mackintosh made is that it might be valuable to have the advice of Ellis (at present with the High Commission in Aden though we expect not for much longer) before going firm on our position. They think he is the only other European who may have got anywhere near the Jebel on the ground. I can quite easily provide you with our suggested position for Jebel Sadakh on the new 1:250,000 mapping with the boundary re-aligned accordingly. The grid position given above refers to this same mapping (sheet NE 39-12). Perhaps you will let me know what further information is required. Yours funculy P. Gent Esq. Arabian Dept. Foreign Office London, S.W.1. CONFIDENTIAL
