§ LORD GLYNasked Her Majesty's Government if a full statement can now be made regarding matters in dispute between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Saudi Arabia, especially concerning the Buraimi Oasis, and whether an urgent attempt can now be made to restore the traditionally satisfactory relations that have always existed with this Arab State, considering that this dispute has continued for over two years.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGSo many discussions and exchanges have taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the Saudi Government over the last two years that a full statement of the history of the matter would have to be of excessive length. The essentials, however, are these. The dispute relates to the frontier between Saudi Arabia and the Shaikhdom of Abu Dhabi, which is under the protection of Her Majesty's Government, and to sovereignty over the Buraimi Oasis. From the start, Her Majesty's Government have consistently tried to settle the dispute by peaceful means. They have on several occasions put forward to the Saudi Government proposals calculated to bring about conditions in which a fair arbitration of the dispute could take place, and they have also shown their readiness to reach a settlement by direct negotiation. Yet another set of proposals is now under discussion with the Saudi Government. I very much hope that they will be able to accept our latest proposition and that as a result the traditional satisfactory relations between Her Majesty's Government and the Saudi Government will be fully and permanently restored.
House adjourned at nine minutes past three o'clock.