Al-Naqbi, Yousif Ebraheem Ahmed (1998) The Sovereignty dispute over The Gulf Islands

318 Pages·2009·24.18 MB·English

Al-Naqbi, Yousif Ebraheem Ahmed (1998) The Sovereignty dispute over
The Gulf Islands : Abu Musa, Greater and Lesser Tunbs.
PhD thesis.

http://theses.gla.ac.uk/2534/

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Glasgow Theses Service
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The Sovereignty Dispute Over The Gulf Islands
Abu Musa, Greater
Lesser Tunbs
and
A Thesis Submitted
For The Award The Degree Doctor
of of of
Philosophy in Law
BY
YOUSIF EBRAHEEM
AHMED AL-NAQBI
School Law
of
University Glasgow
of
May 1998
YOUSIFF. AL-NAQR1 1998
ý: ý
To lives for
those who gave their the their
all
sake of country.
To
the
mcmoq of
Hassan KhamlS AI-Houli
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all I praise God Ior His help to do the research. Then I would like to thank
friend Dr. lain Scobbie, from I learned And
my supervisor and whom so much. who
his knowledge in
time through the
was so generous with and gUiding ine years of
the thesis.
work in present
Then I like father hard bring
to thank to
would my and mother who worked me
highest
to to the
up and educate me and every possible means allow me reach
level learning. I forget
to thank
possible of should not my wife who was so patient
through the the UK, the help
years of study in and who never gave up offering me all
I Thanks due brothers
to the to
and support needed work on research. are also my
family for
their to
and sisters and every member of' my continuous encouragement
in higher
go on my StUdies.
Special due Mr. Matar Fl. Al-Neyadi
thanks to
are my colleague who shared
be My
the to thanks
with study mission, and proved a wonderful companion. also go
friends UK UAE, Mr. Dawood M. Nasser his
to the to
all my in and especially and
family.
My Dr. Faisal Abdel Rahman Taha Dr. Ilossarn M. Mahdy
thanks to
special and
for
their to help during the
efforts guide and ine years ofmy study.
I thank helped during the data
everyone who me and guided me collection period:
In the UAE, Shaikh Saqar bin Mohamed Al-Qasirm, Ras
especially ruler of al-
Khaimah, Shaikh Khalid bin Saqar Al-Qasimi, licir Ras
apparent of' ruler of' al-
Khaimah, Shaikh Tallb bin Saclar Al-Qasimi, Chief Constable Ras
of a]-Khaimah,
Dr. Hadif Al-Owais, head department Law UAE University, Mr. Alimcd J.
the
of in
A]-Tadmori, Director Documentaries Studies Center Flinin Court,
the
in and
Government Ras Mr. Abdul Rahman Moliamed Abu Al-Qasm,
of' al-Khaimah,
Acknowlediýeinenls it,
Activities the Education Office in Ras Mr. Jurnaa A. Al-
chairman at al-Khaimah,
Qubaisi, Director the National Library Abu Dhabi.
of in
In Iran, Mr. Abbas K. Haghighat, The Head Persian Gulf Research
especially of
Group, Mr. Mohsen Tavakoli, Counsellor, in Institute for Political
and the
and
International Studies, Ministry Foreign Affairs.
the
in of
In the UK, Mrs. Fleathcr Worlledge-Andrew, Law Librarian in
especially
Glasgow University, Ms. Jo Dansle in Map Library, in The British Library, Ms.
Anita Hollier, Senior Archivist BP Archive, The British Petroleum Co. Plc.,
in
University Warwick.
of
My due be interviewed for
thanks to to
are also all persons who agreed purposes
Mohamed Khalifah Bu-Ghamm, Representative Sharjah
of research, namely of
Government in Abu Musa Island, Mohamed Diyab Al-Musa, General Manager
the
Sharjah Television, Abdullah Jumah Al-Sari, Previous Chief Constable
of of
Sharjah., Moharned Said Nakhan Al-Suwaidi, Charge the Power Station iii Abu
of
Musa Island, Mohamed All Abu Al-Qasm from Greater Tunb
island.
Finally, I different helped by
thank the
all employees of institutions who rne
during They
their to their
offering assistance my study visits institutions. are
Glasgow University Library, National Library in Edinburgh, International
Boundaries Research Unit in University Map Library British Library,
ol'Durharn, in
Oriental India Office Collections, Public Record Office, United Arab Emirates
and
University Library, National Library Abu Dhabi, National Library in Sharjah, Al-
in
Khaleej Newspaper Archive.
V
ABSTRACT
This documents, have been discussed,
research presents new which not studied or
mentioned in any previous study of the dispute between Iran and the UAE on the
the islands Abu Musa, Greater Tunb Lesser Tunb. The
sovereignty over of and
dispute began Iranian Tunb Greater
troops the two
when occupied islands of and
Lesser Tunb 30 November 1971 by force, battle
the
on use of armed after a with
police personnel who had designated by the Ras the
government of al-Khaimah on
island Greater Tunb. At Iranian
of the same time, troops occupied the southern part
the Abu Musa fashion, Memorandum
of island of in a peaceful according to the of
Understanding by Sharjah,
the the
which was signed government of owner of
the
sovereignty rights over island.
The day before
occupation was carried out one the retreat of the British forces
from the Gulf, the the treaty by
and at end of of protection signed the the
rulers of
Trucial States (today known the [JAE) in 1892. It date
as also coincides with the of
the declaration the foundation the UAE 2 December 1971
of of on which was agreed
between
the the Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras
rulers of seven emirates of
al-
Khaimah, Ajman, Unim Fu
al-Qaiwain, lairah.
Iran built
its claims on three arguments. Firstly, that it had evidence to prove its
sovereignty over the islands. Secondly, that British the three
maps included islands
Iranian
And tor
tinder sovereignty. thirdly, that they were strategically important
Iran.
Given to the Iranian had led to the the
arguments which armed occupation of'
lormed lew What Iranian
islands, we a questions. was the strength ofthc arguments
t'or their the three To do
acquiring islands'? what extent courts and arbitration accept
maps as evidence for territorial sovereignty? What are the legal modes on which Iran
Abstracl
vi
built its acquisition of' the islands? Does the force by Iran
use of
grant sovereignty
the Greater Lesser Tunb? Who has historical
over islands of and an right to the three
And Iran
islands'? can win sovereignty over the two Greater Tunb
islands of and
Lesser Tunb to the doctrine historical from
according of consolidation of title, its
occupation of the islands on November 1971 until the present'? Which party had the
islands?
greater exercise of sovereignty over the three
To
these I have
answer questions, arranged the thesis into ten chapters and
Chapter is introduction
its
appendices. one an to the research stating significance, its
faced
aims, methods of research and the problems the researcher in collecting
Z'
information and structuring the thesis. Chapter two light the historic
sheds on
stages
of the emergence of the territory of the UAE, especially on the territories
controlled
by the Qawasim, the Sharjah Ras because
rulers of and al-Khaimah, their
of
islands. The legal
relations with the status of these two Emirates is discussed
also
before foundation
the the
of unified state, according to their signature of treaties
the British the last 1892.
with government, of which was in
Chapter defines
three the three It
islands geographically. also reviews the
historic background the dispute. Chapter four discusses
of the
modes of acquiring a
territory according to international law the legal Iran had
and arguments on which
built her
armed occupation of the islands. The sarne discussion is made on the legal
arguments on which the UAE built its for the
claim sovereignty over islands.
Chapter five
legal
the Iran built its legal
analyses arguments on which clairn and the
these Chapter legal
validity of arguments. the their
six is a study of maps and worth,
legal
to assess the worth of the Iranian argunicrit concerning the recognition bly the
British 1886
islands.
inap of ofIranian sovereignty over the three
Abstract
Jý
Chapter seven considers the critical date on which the dispute between Iran
and
UAE the three Chapter fornis
over islands was crystallized. eight reviews the of the
Zn
the Sharjah Ras
practice of governments of and al-Khaimah of sovereignty over the
islands,
three the [ran
and recognition of and other countries that the three islands
UAE Chapter discusses for
were under sovereignty. nine peaceful means settling
disputes
and the possibilities of settling the dispute of Iran and UAE over the three
islands The final is
peacefully. chapter the general conclusion and results which
by
the
were reached research.
viii
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
iii
............................... .............. .................................................
Abstract
V
.............................................................. ..................................................
List Cases
of
xiv
....................................................... ................................................
List Documents.
of
xvi
.............................................. ................................................
List Maps
of
xviii
........................................................ ..............................................
Abbreviations
xix
...................................................... ...............................................
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
I
...............................................................................................
I. I. Aims
the 2
of study
...............................................................................................
1.2. Significance
the 3
of study
...................................................................................
1.3. Previous
3
studies
.................................................................................................
1.4. Study
4
methods
...................................................................................................
1.4.1. IN UAE 4
THE
..........................................................................................................................
1.4.2. IN IRAN 6
.................................................................................................................................
1.4.3. IN UNITED KINGDOM 6
THE
......................................................................................................
1.5. Research
8
problems
............................................................................................
1.6. Structure
the thesis
of
.......................................................................................
CHAPTER TWO
Emergence the UAE
12
of
............................................................................
2.1. Introduction
12
............................................................................................................... ........
2.2. Geographical description the UAE 13
of
............................................................
2.3. The history the the UAE's territory 13
of emergence of
....................................
2.3.1. PORTUGUESE GUI, 14
OCCUPATION 01--i'HE I'R)-'(j]ON
................................................................
15
2.3.2. IRAN'S
OCCUPATION OF PARTOI-'RAS Al.
-KIIAIMAH
............................................................
2.3.3. YA'RUBA 17
Rl-'GAIN'I'I-IL'OCCtJPIFI)'I-lý'RRI'I'()Rll-'S
....................................................................
2.3.4. QAWASIM GULF 19
INI If-'RI'I'YA'RtJl3A DOMINANCE IN'I'l it: REGION
.........................................
2.3.5. BRITISI 22
ý CONTROL 01: 'rl ll-Gul. l: REOION
..............................................................................
24
2.3.5.1. Trcaly
oj'1806.
. ........................................................... ................... ........ .............. .....
2.3.5.2. The Preliminary Trecity, General Trealy 1820 25
the
and oj
.... ................................... .....
List Conlents ix
of
27
2.3.5.3. Exclusive Agreement
oj'1892
...................... ...................... ..........................................
2.4. Legal the UAE territory before independence 28
status of
................................
2.5. Conclusion 31
.......................................................................................................
CHAPTER THREE
Definition the Dispute the Three Islands 33
of over
..................................
3.1. Introduction 33
.....................................................................................................
3.2. Geographical description islands 33
the three
of
...............................................
33
3.2.1. ABu MUSA
ISLAND
..............................................................................................................
35
3.2.2. GREATER TUNB
ISLAND
.......................................................................................................
?6
3.2.3. LESSER TUNB
ISLAND
...........................................................................................................
3.3. History islands 37
the three
of
.............................................................................
37
3.3.1. EARLY
HISTORY
...................................................................................................................
39
3.3.2. HISTORY 1887
OF THETHREE ISLANDS PRIOR TO
.................................................................
3.3.3. THE 1887 41
EARLY BEGINNING OF THE DISPUTE IN
.................................................................
3.3.4. TEMPORARY IRANIAN OCCUPATION OF ABU MUSA AND GREATER TUNB ISLANDS IN
43
1904
.................................................................................................................................. .
46
3.3.5. FROM 1912 1948
TO
........................................................................................................... .
51
3.3.6. FROM 1948 1968
TO
........................................................................................................... .
THE BRITISH WITHDRAWAL FIZOM THE GULF 53
3.3.7.
...................................................................... .
1979 58
3.3.8. DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISPUTE OVERTHE THREE ISLANDS AFTER
............................ .
60
3.3.9. IRAN'S BREACH OFTHE MEMORANDUM OFU N DEIZSTAN DING
....... ................................... .
3.4. Conclusion 63
.......................................................................................................
CHAPTER FOUR
The Acquisition Sovereignty the Three Islands in International
of over
Law 65
............................................................................................................
4.1. Introduction 65
.....................................................................................................
4.2. Some 65
the territorial
relevant modesfor acquisition of sovereignty
..............
67
4.2.1. OCC
IJ PATION
.......................................................................................................................
76
4.2.2. CESSION
..............................................................................................................................
81
4.2.3. AcQuISITIVE
PRI'SCRIPTION
.................................................................................................
98
4.2.4. CONQI
T'S'l ...........................................................................
................................................
4.3. The legality the in the territoýy 99
of use offorce acquisition of a
....................