UAE seeks Arab support in Iran island dispute
Washington, 20 August (IranVNC)—The General Secretariat of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates [UAE] has filed a request for the Arab Parliamentary Union [APU] to mediate its dispute with Iran over a dispute over the control of three Persian Gulf islands, Gulf News reports.
By: IranVNC
Published: Wednesday, August 20, 2008
18:40GMT—2:40PM/EST
IRAN – UAE – ABU MUSA – APU
Washington, 20 August (IranVNC)—The General Secretariat of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates [UAE] has filed a request for the Arab Parliamentary Union [APU] to mediate its dispute with Iran over a dispute over the control of three Persian Gulf islands, Gulf News reports.
The UAE statement sent to the APU calls for the immediate removal of all Iranian administrative offices on the islands, Abu Musa, Greater, and Lesser Tunbs, and asks the union to support Abu Dhabi’s claim to sovereignty over the islands.
The statement came after Iranian state television reported last week that Iran had established two maritime offices on Abu Musa.
The islands are controlled by Iran, but the UAE claims ownership over them, based on a 1971 Memorandum of Understanding.
In March, the APU called on Arab countries to urge Iran to give up control of the islands during its conference in March in Iraq. The union also supports the UAE’s attempts to engage Iran in a direct dialogue to resolve the dispute, or to take the matter to the International Court of Justice [ICJ], reports Gulf News.
However, Press TV reports that Iran’s judiciary spokesperson, Alireza Jamshidi, said yesterday that the ICJ does not have jurisdiction in the dispute, and has no authority in deciding the rightful owner of the islands.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said last week that any concerns about the ownership of the islands must be resolved through diplomacy.
Sources: Press TV, Gulf News website
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