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  3. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume VI
  4. Document 33

890.0145/4–2749: Airgram

The Consul at Dhahran ( Meloy ) to the Secretary of State 1

secret
Dhahran , April 27, 1949—5:51 p. m.

A–83. The Consulate has learned from a reliable source that the Arabian American Oil Company, acting for the Saudi Arabian Government, is preparing markers to be placed on certain islands, presumably unoccupied, off the east coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf. These markers are for the purpose of establishing Saudi Arabian jurisdiction over the particular islands on which they are set up. Although this action is ostensibly being taken by the Saudi Arabian Government, the oil Company is actually designing the markers and will “assist” the Saudi Arabian Government in their construction and emplacement.

In addition, ARAMCO acting for the Saudi Arabian Government is reported to be secretly engaged in dragging a road across the base of the Qatar peninsula, eastward from Selwa, with the intention that this will be the boundary line claimed by the Saudi Arabian Government. Further details will be reported as they are learned.

Meloy
  1. This airgram was repeated to Jidda and London.↩