IOR/R/15/6/261

Continuing on from the previous file (IOR/R/15/6/260), this file relates to the termination and proposed replacement of the 1939 Commercial Treaty between Britain and the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman.

Most of the correspondence concerns the drafting of a new treaty between the two parties (eventually concluded in December 1951 and ratified in May 1952). The file contains a series of letters exchanged between the Political Agent and Consul at Muscat (Major Frederick Charles Leslie Chauncy) and the Sultan of Muscat and Oman [Sa‘īd bin Taymūr Āl Bū Sa‘īd] regarding the precise wording of the English text of the treaty. The remaining correspondence, which is mostly between the Political Agent and the Foreign Office, concerns proposed amendments to drafts of the treaty. Other related matters of discussion include the following: the question of whether the Sultan will agree to allow the British to retain their 'extra-territorial privileges' in Muscat (i.e. jurisdiction over nationals from other British territories); whether the new treaty should cover consuls and consular functions; the duration of the new treaty, with the Foreign Office preferring a minimum of twelve years; the possibility of prolonging the existing treaty until 31 December 1951.

Also included is a draft of the proposed new treaty (ff 93-103). The Arabic language material consists of the aforementioned correspondence between the Political Agent and the Sultan (English translations are included).