§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what understandings he reached with the Sultan of Oman and Muscat about the defence of the Kuria Muria Islands, and the rights of British subjects there, before ceding these former British territories to him.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsOn the cession of the Kuria Muria Islands to Muscat and Oman, the local inhabitants, in accordance with their expressed wish, became subjects of the Sultan. Provision was made for this in the Treaty of Cession and these are now no British subjects resident in the Kuria Murias. The Sultanate Government has assumed full responsibility for the islands. We have not entered into any understanding with regard to their defence.