Att.Editors: The following item is from the Emirates News Agency (WAM)
CAIRO,Sep 13 (WAM) – The Arab League’s Council reiterated its emphasis on the absolute sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over its three islands of Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa, and expressed its support for all peaceful means and measures taken by the UAE to restore its sovereignty over the occupied islands.
In a resolution issued yesterday at the end of the 148th session of the Arab foreign ministers’ council in Cairo on Iran’s occupation of the UAE islands, the Council condemned the continuation of the Iranian government in perpetuating its occupation of the three islands and its violation of the sovereignty of the UAE, thereby undermining security and stability in the region and leading to threatening international peace and security.
The Council condemned the Iranian government’s building of dwelling facilities in order to house Iranians on the three occupied islands.
The Council also condemned Iranian military exercises in regions which include the UAE islands, their territorial waters, airspace territory, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone of the three islands which are an integral part of the United Arab Emirates, and demanded Iran to stop such violations and provocative acts which constitute interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign, independent state.
The Council condemned Iran’s opening of two offices on Abu Musa island, calling on Iran to remove these illegal establishments and respect the sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates over its territory.
The Council denounced inspection tours paid by members of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of Iran’s Consultative Assembly of the occupied islands as a violation to UAE’s sovereignty over its territories and undermine efforts being made to reach a peaceful settlement to the issue.
The Council also hailed the initiatives of the United Arab Emirates and its efforts to find a peaceful and just settlement to the issue of the three occupied islands with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Council expressed its hope that the Islamic Republic of Iran will re-consider its stance of refusing to find a peaceful solution to the issue of the three islands belonging to the United Arab Emirates, either through serious and direct negotiations or by resorting to the International Court of Justice. (WAM) (END/2017)