The UAE Islands?

They are The Islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and the Island of Abu Musa. Less than 48 hours before the declaration of the establishment of United Arab Emirates, the Shah of Iran in an act of aggression sent his troops to invade and occupy the Islands of Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb, which belong to the Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah a member of the UAE. Abu Musa also was occupied by Iran in a story well come back to later.

The Islands Of Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb

After a courageous resistance by members of the Ras al-Khaimah Police Force in defiance of the sovereignty of the Emirates over the Islands which resulted in casualties on both sides of dead and wounded. The inhabitants of the Islands were expelled thus leaving behind their properties and possessions. Ever since this aggression, the United Arab Emirates has continuously used on numerous occasions various methods to denounce this aggression and seek the return of the Islands to its sovereignty.

Iran’s military occupation of the Islands of Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb since 29 November 1971 constitutes a flagrant violation of the principles and rules of international law, with total disregard for peaceful coexistence and good neighborly relations among nations and states.
These principles, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, have become the foundations upon which the international relations are governed.

The international community has rejected the use of military force for the purpose of acquiring rights and privileges and a practice. It is also prohibited by the principles of international legitimacy embodied in the Hague Convention and the Charter.
It is also emphasized by the General Assembly resolution 2625 (XXV) of 1970, entitled “Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,” and resolution 3314 (XXIX) of 1974, entitled “Definition of Aggressions. “ Such prohibition of the use of force has become one of the main principles of international law and of the basis of contemporary international relations

The Island Of Abu Musa

With respect to the Island of Abu Musa, which belongs to the Emirate of Sharjah, the Iranian forces occupied parts of it in accordance with the Memorandum of understanding, concluded in November 1971 between the Ruler of Sharjah and the Iranian Government, under the supervision of the British Government. Although the text of the Memorandum of Understanding does not compromise either party’s claim to sovereignty over the Island; the Emirate of Sharjah under duress as set concluded it forth by the following:1) Britain’s determination to withdraw from the region on the specified date thus leaving the Emirates without British protective umbrella.
2) Iran’s threat not to recognize the proposed federal state, and even its opposition to the very creation of such a state unless and agreement consistent with its interests is reached with respect to the three Islands.

UAE Sovereignty Over The Three Islands

The rejection by the United Arab Emirates Iran’s aggression as the demand for the elimination of such aggression emanates from the Emirates firm belief in its sovereignty over the three Islands. In this regard the following factors are mentioned.
- The residences of these Islands are Arabs whose mother tongue is Arabic. They have inseparable family and commercial ties with the Arab Coast of the Gulf. They also belong to prominent Arab tribes of Al-Sudan, Al-Boumheir, Bani Hammad, Al-Shawames, Bani Tamim.
- The historical record confirms that these Islands belonged to the Qawasim of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah since at least 18th century. This was the situation when the British came to the region and concluded several agreements with the Rulers of the Emirates, including the first agreement of 1820. The advent of the British did not affect the sovereignty exercised by the Qawasim of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah over the Islands, since the two Emirates were at the time a single and united Qawasim Emirate. When Ras al-Khaimah was separated from Sharjah at the beginning of the 20th Century, the Island of Abu Musa reverted to the Qawasim of Sharjah, while that of Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb passed to the Qawasim of Ras al-Khaimah. The Qawasim possessed these Islands continuously, peacefully, and without interruption until November 1971. Throughout those years, they exercised such acts of sovereignty as were compatible with the size, physical features, and population density of the three Islands. Nothing in the historical record indicated that sovereignty over the three Islands was abandoned at any point in time, or that the Qawasim ceased to look after the affairs of the Islands. By contrast Iran’s claims that were made on the Islands were contested.

What Indicates This Sovereignty ?

((A) The three Islands hoist the flags of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah. The laws Regulations and customs of the two Emirates are followed on the Islands, and the residents of the Island are citizens of the two Emirates.
(B) Representatives of the Rulers of the two Emirates are always present on the Islands.
(C) The Rulers of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah collect annual fees for the economic activities undertaken by the residents of the Islands, such as fishing, pearl diving and herding.
(D) The Islands of Abu Musa and Greater Tunb have public utilities that belong to the Emirate of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah. Lesser Tunb has no such utilities because of its size and the lack of fresh water resources. This Island was under the direct supervision of the representative of Ras al-Khaimah in Greater Tunb, who used to make periodic visits to the Island of Lesser Tunb.
(E) Since the turn of the century, Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah have granted licenses for exploration and oil drilling in their Islands and their territorial waters. For example, the Ruler of Sharjah granted several companies licenses which authorized them to exploit iron oxide in Abu Musa in 1898, 1933, and 1935, the last having a 21-year term. Likewise, the Ruler of Sharjah granted oil concession in Abu Musa to Petroleum Co.Inc. in 1937 and to Buttes Co. in 1970.
With respect to the Islands of Greater Tunb and lesser Tunb, the Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah granted licenses for iron oxide exploitation in 1952, in addition to oil drilling licenses to two American companies in 1964.
Iran has made intermittent claims on the Islands, but these claims were not supported by any legal evidence. And were contradicted by subsequent conduct of the Iranian Government which offered, through the British Government, to purchase the two Islands from Ras al-Khaimah in 1929. However, the Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah rejected the offer and the British Government notified Iran of the rejection.
In October 1930, the Iranian Government submitted a proposal to the Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah in which it offered to lease the Island of Greater for a period of 50 years. Once again, the Iranian Government offered to purchase the Islands in 1971, but its offer was turned down.
This Iranian conduct warrants the application of the principle of international law, which stipulates that if a certain party by words or deeds, behaves in a manner that contradicts its claims, then it should cease raising those claims.
On more than one occasion, through official documents and correspondence dating back to the 19th Century, the British Government stated that it recognizes the right of Sarah and Ras al-Khaimah Awaits to recognizes the right of sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah to exercise sovereignty over the Islands. The British also opposed the Iranian claims, and warned Iran in September 1934 not to challenge the status of the Islands and threatened to resist any Iranian intervention on the Islands.

Assertion Of The UAE

Assertion Of The UAE
Throughout all of the United Arab Emirates, demonstrations and protests were staged against the Iranian military occupation of the Island of Greater Tunb and lesser Tunb at the end of November 1971, as well as to the deployment of Iranian forces in that part of Abu Musa Island assigned to it in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding. The demonstrations denounced the Iranian occupation of the Islands and demanded that Britain should protect the territory of the Emirates in compliance with the agreements that were in force between the two counters. The British Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing its displeasure and regret at what had happened and for the loss of human lives.
Since its inception on 2nd December 1971, the UAE utilized every channel on the Arab and international levels, to affirm its sovereignty over the Islands, appealing to the international community to urge Iran to end its occupation and withdraw from the Islands:- On 16th December 1971 the UAE, together with other Arab countries, requested the Secretary-General of the league of Arab states to contact Iran on the highest official level to reconsider the measures it had taken with respect official level to reconsider the measures it had taken with respect to the Islands.
- On the 9th December 1971, the U.N. Security Council held a meeting to discuss the conflict upon the request of the UAE and a number of other Arab countries. In that meeting, the UAE rejected the Iranian occupation of the Islands and stressed its sovereignty over the Islands (Document S/PV, 1610 dated 9 December 1971).
- On 17 July 1972, the UAE and a number of other countries submitted a letter to the president of the Security Council in which they stressed the Arab character of the Islands, and affirmed that the Islands were an integral part of the UAE (Document S/10740 dated 18 July 1972).
- On 5 October 1972, the UAE asserted before the 27 Session of the General Assembly that it only recognizes its own sovereignty over the Islands. (Document No.A/PV/2055 dated 5 October 1972).
- On 20 February 1974, the UAE affirmed in a statement before the Security Council that it recognizes no other sovereignty over those Islands, but its own. It also stressed that in order to maintain stability in the Gulf; the states of the region must cooperate amongst themselves, respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and resolve their disputes through peaceful means. (Document No. S/PV 1763 20 February 1974).
- On 19 November 1975, the UAE affirmed before the Special
Political Committee of the United Nations that it recognizes no other sovereignty over the Islands but its own, (Document A/C. I/PV. 2092 dated 19 November 1975).
- On the 6th of August 1980, the Foreign Minister of the UAE
submitted a letter to the sovereignty of the UAE over the three Islands. The letter was later distributed as an official document of the Security Council and General Assembly.
- On 1 December 1980, the UAE sent a letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in which it reiterated its position, and underlined its right to full sovereignty of the three Islands.

The UAE has continuously affirmed its sovereignty over the Islands, and demanded Iran’s withdrawal there from. Due to the exceptional circumstances engulfing the region during the last decade as reflected by the Iran-Iraq war, coupled with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the UAE has pursued a policy of patience, pending the change of those circumstances. The UAE was also motivated by its desire to spare the region increased tension and had hoped that Iran would appreciate its peaceful position and rectify the situation resulting from Iran’s occupation of the Islands. Unfortunately, Iran’s response in this regard was neither promising nor reassuring.
As a token of good faith and sincere desire to resolve this matter, the UAE Foreign Minister made several contacts with Iranian officials. The Government of the UAE welcomed the holding of a meeting in Abu Dhabi between the representatives of the two Governments on 27-28 September 1992.
At the said meeting the UAE delegation requested Iran to:
1) Terminate its military occupation of the Islands of Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb.
2) Commit its self to respect the provisions of the 1971 Memorandum of Understanding with respect to the Island of Abu Musa.
3) Refrain from intervening in any way or under any circumstances of under any pretext in the U A E’s exercise of its complete jurisdiction over its sector of Abu Musa Island.
4) Revoke all steps and measures, which it imposed on the
government organs on the Island of Abu Musa and on the citizens of the state and on the expatriates who work there.
5) Indicate a suitable framework to resolve the question of sovereignty over the Island of Abu Musa within a specified period of time.
However, no progress was made during those bilateral negotiations owing to Iran’s adamant rejection to discuss the termination of its military occupation, and its equally adamant opposition to submit the dispute to the International Court of Justice as suggested by UAE. Motivated by its long standing commitment to resolve this dispute through peaceful means, the Foreign Minister of the UAE has affirmed before the 47th Session of the U.N. General Assembly on 30 September 1992, its readiness to settle the dispute peacefully on the basis of Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations, In his statement, the Foreign Minister appealed to the Islamic Republic of Iran to follow the same path and commit itself to the principles of international law, and rules that govern international relations.

What Can You Do ?

Based on humen principles, historic relations, mutual interests that bind the people of the two countries, and in view of the good neighborly relations that the UAE has always endeavored to foster.The UAE calls upon the international community, as represented by the United Nations, to carry out it responsibilities in a manner that promotes peace, security and stability in the region. Bearing in mind that military occupation does not change the legal status of an occupied territory, nor does it confer sovereignty on the occupying power regardless of the duration of occupation.Please Get in touch with your Government officials and the Iranian Government and tell them what you think about this issue, tell them to encourage Iran to set down on the negotiation table or refer this matter to International court of justice.

Links

• The best Arabic web page about the UAE Islands

• Find more about the UAE through this Guide

• UAE Government on the Web