While SECRET 1092/16 BRITISH RESIDENCY, BAHRAIN February 7, 1958. RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES 1 4 FEB 1958 Dear Derek عد) In the course of planning for possible future operations in Oman as instructed in Coscap 6 of January 15 from the Ministry of Defence to Headquarters, British Forces Arabian Peninsula, the Commander B.F.A.P. has raised with me the question of procedure for dealing with the Press. It is of course much to be hoped that at least in the case of alternative 10(a) of Muscat telegram No. 7 of January 9 to the Foreign Office publicity may be avoided until after the end of the operations, but this can clearly not be guaranteed, and in the case of 10(b) it seems almost certain that publicity would occur at a fairly early stage. It is therefore obviously wise to consider plans for dealing with it. Air Vice-Marshal Heath has suggested that it might be desirable to have here for the purpose a regular Foreign Service official used to dealing with the National Press i.e. someone from News Department. He believes that this might be more satisfactory than relying on Service Public Relations officials, I told him that in spite of News Department's help on the previous occasion the results had been by no means satisfactory but that I would put the whole matter to you for consideration. I should be glad to know what you think. 2. I am sending a copy of this letter to Air Vice-Marshal Heath, (B.A.B. Burrows) D.M.H. Riches Esquire, C.M.G., FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.I. SECRET
