to the british, further extension of the railway line meant further expansion of ottoman influence, and the current administration—already emboldened by the “young turk” regime—desired to reestablish effective control over its empire south of kuwait. even worse was the possible encroachment of other european powers. in the proposed memorandum, the british therefore sought to regularize the 1901 status quo agreement, with the added refinement of a clear definition of kuwait’s boundaries to britain’s advantage.