Internal political situation in Muscat and Oman

This file contains:

• Draft minute prepared by the Secretary of the Chiefs of Staff Committee J P Lee to the Minister of Defence H Beeley on the operations in Oman. It summarises correspondence received from the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf B A B Burrows and the Commander of the British Forces, Arabian Peninsula (471)
• Summary of a meeting of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, at which it was agreed that an intelligence appreciation was required in order to review politico-military policy in Oman for the next five years (472)
• Report of intelligence suggesting that Saudi Arabia has launched a renewed attempt to send men and arms to reinforce Taleb Al Hina'i and suggestions for how best to deal with this (473)
• Views of the Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd on the situation in Oman, and recommendations for future actions (474)
• Correspondence relating to reports of overland movement from Saudi Arabia to Oman and proposals for actions to be taken in the event of incursions across the frontier. It also discusses the nature and location of the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO) activity in the region (475)
• Report by the Consul General in Muscat F C L Chauncy on his visit to Nizwa and his recommendations for future actions. It also contains two lists: 'Sultan's directives for Minister of the Interior's powers' and 'Tribes in Nizwa' (477)
• Update on the situation in Oman with news of recent initiatives by the Muscat authorities (478)
• Letter, dated 13 August 1957 from the permanent representatives to the UN of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, addressed to the President of the UN Security Council, asking the Security Council to convene a meeting to discuss the aggression of the UK against the Imamate of Oman. It also contains an amendment to this letter, dated 16 August, adding Tunisia to the list of signatories and a discussion about Tunisia's involvement (479)
• Request for information, from the British Embassy in Phnom Penh, regarding an Agence France-Presse report, quoting Cairo Radio, claiming that a British detachment has been destroyed in an attack on Jebel Akhdar (480)
• Correspondence regarding plans for the operations in Oman. Authorisation is not given for British ground troops or unrestricted bombing and preference is for the Sultan of Muscat and Oman, Saeed Bin Taimur, to reach a settlement with Sulaiman Bin Himyar. The blockade along the Muscat coast is also discussed, as well as the military equipment that might be provided (481)
• Telegram sent to the Commonwealth high commissioners informing them about a new Omani liberation army that is training in Saudi Arabia and receiving Saudi assistance (482)
• Correspondence regarding reports of reinforcements of men, money and supplies being sent to Taleb Al Hina'i from outside Oman and whether the Sultan has any intelligence on this (483)
• Plans for the first battalion Cameronians to replace the first battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry in Kenya (484)
• Updates regarding the situation of the rebel leaders in Jebel Akhdar (486)
• Report of an approach to the King of Libya from the Imam of Oman Ghalib Al Hina'i seeking his help in restoring the state of affairs prior to the uprising (487)
• Summaries of discussions with the Sultan regarding whether there is evidence to show that outside assistance is being sent to the rebels (488, 490)
• Proposal to deploy the Somaliland Scouts in Oman (491)
• Summary of several media reports, including about a Japanese-Saudi Arabian oil agreement and family murders among the Beni bu Ali [Bani bu Ali] in Jala'an [Jalan Bani Bu Ali] (492)
• Correspondence regarding Cairo Radio reports of ceasefire negotiations between Britain and the Imam of Oman, and about British proposals for the unification of the Trucial Coast states with the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman (493)
• Report of an approach to King Idris of Libya from an emissary of the Oman Imamate Office in Cairo, seeking his help in restoring the state of affairs prior to the uprising. The emissary also provided copies of documents, which he claimed proved the independent status of the Imam. It also contains a pamphlet, 'The Status of Oman and the British Omanite Dispute: an analysis based on official documents', published by the Arab Information Centre in September 1957 (494)