UAE to sharpen islands strategy

April 22, 2012

UAE

Dubai, April 22: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash has called on Iran to enter into negotiations with the UAE over the three islands occupied by Tehran and to refrain from using arrogant language.

“The UAE today is not that small baby born on 2nd December 1971, rather it’s a key state with huge potentials,” Gargash reminded, calling on Iran to be a mature state and to take into consideration the “neighbourly relationship” that link the two countries.

“We will remain neighbours forever despite our differences,” the minister told Dubai TV in an interview. The UAE, he affirmed, is a wise, respectable state adopting civilised approaches to restore its right. “We are following a long-patience policy”.

The statement came in the wake of the UAE’s reaction — which analysts considered as “unprecedented in term of its strength” — to a recent visit made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad to Abu Mousa Island, which Iran occupied, along with the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, in 1971 on the eve of the birth of the UAE Federation.

Meanwhile, a senior Arab League official said in Cairo that implications of Ahmedinejad’s visit to Abu Mousa will top the agenda of the extraordinary meeting of the Arab foreign ministers on Thursday.

League Deputy Secretary-General Ahmed bin Heli said the foreign ministers would take a common Arab stand on the issue.

In the Dubai TV interview, Gargash said the UAE will adopt a new political strategy in pressing for the demand to solve the issue through peaceful diplomatic channels under the umbrella of the international law. “We are mulling all possible options before us in this respect,” he said, adding that the next phase will see intensive drive for UAE diplomacy.

He emphasised that it’s not in the interest of either the UAE or Iran to escalate the situation because solution to a bilateral problem cannot be reached through provocative statements.

Gargash noted that the UAE’s firm and decisive reaction to the Iranian violation of its sovereignty has nothing to do with what the Iranians were talking about a foreign move. “We are fed up with the record of foreign pressure which the Iranians kept parroting”.

The UAE’s reaction was strong, he went on to say, because Ahmedinejad’s visit to Abu Mousa was an “unprecedented development”.


“It is the first time an Iranian president paid a visit to our occupied islands”. The visit, he indicated, has circumvented a year’s efforts to initiate bilateral negotiations.

The minister said the UAE was shocked by Ahmedinejad’s visit to Abu Mousa island, which undermined Tehran’s credibility.

He attributed the UAE’s surprise to the fact that “the visit was conducted at a time when the two countries reached an understanding on negotiation over the islands. After months of arduous efforts, the two sides had agreed that it was time to solve the problem. The UAE had even named its negotiator and Iran assigned a senior adviser of Ahmedinejad to the mission.

Gargash said the UAE’s claim of ownership to the islands is “based on realistic and tangible historic evidence”.

But he said “the UAE stands ready to risk its historic and legal facts and win or lose at the International Court of Justice”.

Refuting Iran’s allegations of having historic evidences to claim ownership of the islands, Gargash said: “He who has such evidences is supposed to accept international arbitration”.


Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
April 2,2020

Dubai, Apr 2: A senior Saudi official urged more than 1 million Muslims intending to perform the hajj to delay making plans this year in comments suggesting the pilgrimage could be cancelled due to the new coronavirus pandemic.

In February, the kingdom took the extraordinary decision to close off the holy cities of Mecca and Medina to foreigners over the virus, a step which wasn’t taken even during the 1918 flu epidemic that killed tens of millions worldwide.

Restrictions have tightened in the kingdom as it grapples with over 1,500 confirmed cases of the new virus. The kingdom has reported 10 deaths so far. The Middle East has more than 71,000 confirmed cases of the virus, most of those in Iran, and over 3,300 deaths.

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is prepared to secure the safety of all Muslims and nationals,” Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister Muhammad Saleh bin Taher Banten told state television. “That’s why we have requested from all Muslims around the world to hold onto signing any agreements (with tour operators) until we have a clear vision.”

Saudi Arabia has barred people from entering or exiting three major cities, including Mecca and Medina, and imposed a nighttime curfew across the country. Like other countries around the world and in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has suspended all inbound and outbound commercial flights.

Each year, up to 2 million Muslims perform the hajj, a physically demanding and often costly pilgrimage that draws the faithful from around the world. The hajj, required of all able-bodied Muslims to perform once in their lifetime, is seen as a chance to wipe clean past sins and bring about greater humility and unity among Muslims.

Standing in Mecca in front of the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward five times daily, Banten also said the kingdom was already providing care for 1,200 pilgrims stuck in the holy city due to global travel restrictions. A number of them are being quarantined in hotels in Mecca, he said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
May 7,2020

Dubai, May 7: Indians in the UAE have voiced scepticism about a "massive" operation announced by New Delhi to bring home some of the hundreds of thousands of nationals stranded by coronavirus restrictions.

"It is just propaganda," said Ishan, an Indian expatriate in Dubai, one of seven emirates in the UAE and long a magnet for foreign workers.

He was reacting to his government's announcement this week that it would deploy passenger jets and naval ships to bring home citizens stuck in a host of countries.

India's consulate in Dubai said it received about 200,000 requests from nationals seeking repatriation -- mostly workers who have lost their jobs in the pandemic.

One vessel was heading to the UAE, India's government said, while two flights were scheduled to depart the UAE for India on Thursday.

But the plans drew scorn from Ishan, who was a manager at a luxury services company before he was made redundant last month.

"It's like throwing a dog a bone," the 35-year-old complained on Wednesday, dismissing the Indian government's efforts as a drop in the ocean.

"Let's say they repatriate 400 people on the first day, and about 5,000 people in 10 days, what difference has it made?"

India banned all incoming commercial flights in late March as it imposed one of the world's strictest lockdowns to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

The UAE is home to a 3.3-million-strong Indian community, who make up around 30 per cent of the Gulf state's population.

To the anger of some Indian expatriates, the evacuees will have to pay for their passage home and spend two weeks in quarantine on arrival.

"We are upset over the failure of our government," Ishan said. "What about the people with no money? How are you helping them?"

The Indian consulate could not be reached for comment.

Ibrahim Khalil, head of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Center in Dubai, said the consulate had asked him to select 100 Indian nationals for repatriation.

"We are planning to pay for the tickets of those who cannot afford it," he said, adding that the elderly, pregnant and those suffering from illnesses were a priority.

But one Indian woman, eight months pregnant in the neighbouring emirate of Sharjah, was not one of the lucky ones chosen to go back home in one of Thursday's planned departures.

"We called them but nobody would pick up," the 26-year-old, who requested anonymity, told AFP.

She arrived in the UAE a few months ago to visit her husband, who lives in a shared apartment with another family to save money.

"We have no insurance here and the medical expenses are too costly," said the woman, who was anxious to leave to give birth at home.

"I just hope that I am chosen to go back to India. I don't know why I haven't been considered."

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
April 12,2020

Apr 12: Parents in Abu Dhabi affected by the Covid-19 situation can seek help from the authorities in paying off their children's school fees, it was announced on Sunday.

The Abu Dhabi Media Office took to Twitter to announce the reprieve. The Authority for Social Contribution - Ma'an and Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek) "will support parents with children attending private schools in #AbuDhabi who are affected by the current economic challenges, by paying school fees or providing devices for distance learning".

The move is part of the 'Together We Are Good' programme which aims to support residents impacted by the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis in the country.

"Parents can call the toll-free helpline on 800-3088 or register their request at http://togetherwearegood.ae. The closing date for fee assistance applications is 23rd April 2020," the media office tweeted.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.