Islands in the Gulf: Dispute over Strategic Land and Petroleum Fields…….
“The PUIC executive committee started its 23rd meeting on June 20 in Dubai with the participation of its members and representatives from nine countries, namely Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Uganda, Turkey, Iran, Cameroon and Burkina Faso. “Iran has been opposed to the establishment of the committee for practical reasons,” Jalali told ISNA on Wednesday. He said that in order to make a number of amendments to the charter of the organization a series of recommendations were proposed by member countries. The Parliament of the United Arab Emirates proposed the establishment of a ‘dispute resolution commission’ with the main aim of resolving disputes among Islamic countries, Jalali noted…..…”
PUIC is the Parliamentary Union of members of the Organization of Islamic States (OIC): the title is a mouthful for a bunch of countries that either have no elected parliaments (Saudi Arabia) or have rigged elections (Egypt) or restricted elections (Iran). Then there are countries like Burkina Faso and Cameroon and…….
The Iranians opposed the measure for the same reason the UAE proposed and supported it. The Iranians rightly suspect that it is a ploy to discuss the issue of three disputed islands in the Persian Gulf which Iran regards as part of its territory. Both Iran and the UAE claim the three islands, now controlled by Iran, as part of their territory. At least some of these islands were considered part of one of the poorer emirates until 1970 (Sharjah, before the UAE was formed). At least one or two of them were agreed to be some kind of “joint ownership?” between Iran and Sharjah, which later joined the UAE. Reportedly the agreement called for an Iranian base and for joint use of the island’s oil and gas resources. Some claim it was all part of a deal the Shah of Iran made with the ruler of the emirate and the British who called the shots at the time. They say a deal with the British on dropping an Iranian claim to Bahrain was a part of it. At the time of the deal the British controlled all the emirates and there was no United Arab Emirates.
The islands are also in the Strait of Hormuz, which may explain all the fuss raised about them in recent months.
Have I confused you enough?
Cheers
mhg
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