Report from Political Agent, Dubai, on fifth meeting of Trucial Council p.2

FO 371/109814 1954
EASTERN DEPARTMENT

1954

FROM

No.

No.

Dated

Received in

Registry

References to former relevant papers

MINUTES

(Print)

109814

(How disposed of)

Mr. Pirie-Gordon's despatch covers in detail the
proceedings of the fifth meeting of the Trucial Council.
The main subjects discussed were Road Traffic Regulations,
travel documents, the Dubai hospital, water drilling
and frontiers. All these matters have appeared on the
agenda of previous meetings, but hitherto the Rulers
have shown considerable reserve in discussing them and
have been, perhaps understandably, hesitant in offering
constructive suggestions. At this meeting, however, they
shed much of this reserve, and under Mr. Pirie-Gordon's
able guidance there was a full and frank exchange of
views. Throughout the discussions, all the Rulers, with
the exception of Shaikh Shakhbut of Abu Dhabi who was
in an unusually cantankerous mood, were encouragingly
Co-operative and seemed genuinely appreciative of H.M.G.'s
efforts on their behalf in the field of development.
Indeed, the remark was made that at no time in the
history of the Trucial Coast had relations between the
Rulers and H.M.G. been more friendly. As Mr. Burrows
rightly remarks, this happy state of affairs is in large
measure due to the efforts and personal qualities of
Mr. Pirie-Gordon.

2. Of the matters discussed at the meeting, some are
of purely local significance, and others, e.g. the Dubai
hospital and the water development programme, are being
dealt with on the appropriate pa pers and require no
comment here. The discussion on the draft Traffic
Regulations, however, (paragraph 5 of Mr. Pirie-Gordon's
despatch and paragraphs 3.-6 of the minutes) underline
the need to bear in mind the Rulers' limited powers of
comprehension when drafting such legislation. The
Foreign Office draft was dismissed as incomprehensible,
and the Rulers of Sharjah and Dubai have now produced
their own versions which, though clearly inadequate,
are, they claim, more suited to local conditions. "Mr.
Pirie -Gordon is now trying to combine the best features

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