1
SECRET
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UK EYES ONLY
designate the inhabitable islands in the west of the area under consideration (for example those claimed by the French in 1933 - see paragraph 17 and map 1). Thus it is difficult to determine what area the Japanese did give up at the 1951 Peace Conference. A further question concerns the present legal status of the rest of the area of uninhabitable reefs and shoals to the east of the inhabitable islands. The British Government have continuously maintained the position that since these are uninhabitable they are incapable of appropriation and occupation. Their last statement of this was made to the United States Government in 1955. If oil is discovered in the area the conflicting claims to it will almost inevitably cause problems and make any attempts to divide up the continental shelf and seabed extremely difficult.
17
South and South East Asia Section
Research Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
SECRET
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UK EYES ONLY
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