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77 TEVFIK [later OKDAY], Ismael Hakki. Basra Korfezi mes’elesi (Bahreyn Adalari, El-Katar, ve Korsan Sahili): Hariciye Vekaleti Matbuat Umumi Mudulugu: 15, No. 32 (“The Persian Gulf Issue [Bahrain Islands, Qatar, and the Pirate Coast]: Ministry of Foreign Affairs General Directorate Press: 15, No. 32”). Ankara: Foreign Ministry Printing House, 1931 extremely scarce turkish foreign ministry report on the gulf Rare first and sole edition of this detailed report written to inform the young Turkish Republic’s dealings in the Arabian Gulf, with Britain in particular but also noting the claims of Iran and developments in Nejd. An institutional search locates just two copies: Bilkent University and Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Munich. The document addresses the region in two sections: the first relates to Bahrain, opening with historical origins, geography, resources (including newly found oil), language (Arabic with Farsi used in trade), and trades. There is considerable detail on
pearling, including the valuing of pearls, the fleet of 1,025 ships, and the value of the trade in 1927. It is noted that its role as a major centre during April to June made it vulnerable to attack by the surrounding tribes. The region’s reputation for tailoring and the trade in wild donkeys is also mentioned. An account of the current administration includes the detail that the sheikh was protected by 30 Indian Army troops, the vizier, emirs, eight judges, mercantile courts, and the British Resident. In a section on religion Tevfik describes the arrival of Islam and tribal origins and gives a breakdown of the local mainly Muslim population into Sunni and Shia, showing the latter as a being in a significant minority. He also breaks down the tiny non-Muslim minority: 255 Indians, Jews, Syrians, and British. A brief history of the islands from the time of Muhammad leads into a detailed discussion of British rule and Turkish and Persian claims. Diplomatic correspondence and talks are reproduced – including those of Lord Derby, Resident E. C. Ross, Lansdowne, Durand, Gray, and Ibrahim Hakki Pasha – on Bahrain’s status, including implications of the treaty with the Emir of Nejd, and more significantly the 1927 treaty in which Bahrain agreed to deal only with Britain. The section closes by detailing Turkish and Iranian objections regarding oil concessions. The second section covers Qatar and the Korsan Sahili or “Pirate Coast”, Tevfik’s preferred name. As with the first section,
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