The events of 1961 to 1965 include the death of Shaikh Salman bin Hamad, and the succession of Shaikh Isa bin Salman al Khalifah; a threatened coup d'etat in 1962; some attempts at internal administrative reform, particularly of the Bahrain Administrative Council; expansion of Muharraq airport and assessments of its strategic significance in the Gulf; the award of Halul to Qatar as part of the Bahrain-Qatar seabed dispute; the discovery of oil in the joint Saudi-Bahrain marine area Fasht bu Saafa; commercial development at Jufair and Mina Sulman; currency reform and the issue of national stamps. In 1965 events became violent with demonstrations at Muharraq by dissidents who were being supported by Iraq and tolerated by Kuwait. The internal criticism of the régime was echoed internationally by the Arab League which demanded that Bahrain sever its connections with Great Britain.
