Airfields

This file contains correspondence relating to:

• Improvements to the RAF airfield on Masirah Island, and the intention to recruit Pakistan nationals to the labour force, for which the approval of the Pakistan Government is sought (1)
• Request to the Air Ministry for rental payment for the Masirah and Salalah Airfields (2)
• Transcriptions of a radio report broadcast on 'Voice of the Arabs', an Egyptian transnational Arabic radio service, that Britain is to transfer its military bases from Aden to Masirah Island, and responses on this (3)
• Excerpts of reports broadcast on 'Voice of the Arabs' that Ghalib Bin Ali Bin Hilal Al Hina'i has protested to the UN about British plans to transfer its military base from Aden to Masirah Island. Also included is a copy of an article in the Evening Standard, with accompanying notes suggesting that the 'Voice of the Arabs' report may have been based on the incorrect content of this article (4)
• Problems experienced by the Air Ministry in gaining permission from the Sultan of Muscat to lay pipes along the land between the airfield boundary and the sea shore, on Masirah Island. A map is included, showing the sites of the proposed pipes (5)
• Meeting with the Sultan, in which he granted permission for the laying of the pipes on Masirah Island, as long as he could request their removal at reasonable notice if he required it (6)
• Confirmation of payment of the rent for the Masirah and Salalah Airfields up to 31 December 1961 (7)
• Air Ministry's decision to rethink whether or not to lay pipes on Masirah Island, as a result of the Sultan's stipulation that he be able to request their removal at any time (8)
• Convention that the Askar guards based at the Salalah Airfield are inspected by a representative of the Sultan or of the Wali (9)
• Confirmation of payment of rent for Masirah and Salalah Airfields for the half year to 30 June 1962 (10)