New York: The UAE again demanded the return of its three islands: The Greater Tunb, The Lesser Tunb and Abu Mousa, occupied by Iran.
In his speech at the General Debate of the 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, also emphasised that the international community continues to face significant challenges that demand collective action in all fields.
These challenges include international peace and security, stabilisation of economic recovery, achievement of sustainable development, attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, combating the negative impact of climate change, responding to natural disasters, countering terrorism and regional instability, achievement of peace in the Middle East, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and disarmament.
"All these issues demand from us a genuine political will, collective international effort and persistent work in order to promote the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, uphold rules of international law, guarantee justice, and achieve common interests among nations, large and small", Shaikh Abdullah said.
"In this respect, the United Arab Emirates calls for increasing the effectiveness of multilateralism within the United Nations system and enhancing and improving its effectiveness and management of its work. UAE supports responsible and serious efforts aimed at reforming the United Nations and its principal organs, including the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, as well as other specialised agencies and development programmes. We also emphasise the importance of strengthening and developing cooperation between the United Nations and regional organisations. We underscore the role of the United Nations in the peaceful resolution of existing conflicts, in peacekeeping operations and preventive diplomacy and in promoting the culture of peace and international cooperation," he added.
Peaceful co-existence
Shaikh Abdullah pointed out that achievement of security and stability in the Gulf region is a vital priority to the United Arab Emirates and its balanced foreign policy, which is based on the principles of the United Nations Charter and rules of international law, especially those calling for peaceful co-existence, consolidation of confidence-building measures, good neighbourliness, mutual respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of states and resorting to peaceful resolution of existing disputes.
With regard to the three islands, Shaikh Abdullah said: "On the basis of this, my government reiterates in this forum its deep regret at the continued occupation by the Islamic Republic of Iran of the three UAE islands: The Greater Tunb, The Lesser Tunb and Abu Mousa, and demands the return of these islands under its full sovereignty, including their regional waters, airspace, continental shelf and their exclusive economic zone, as integral parts of the United Arab Emirates. The United Arab Emirates also affirms that all procedures and measures taken by the Iranian authorities since their occupation of these islands are null and void and do not have any legal effect regardless of how long the occupation may last.
"We call upon the international community to urge Iran to respond to the peaceful and sincere initiatives of the United Arab Emirates, which call for a just settlement of this issue, either through direct and serious negotiations between the two countries or by referring the issue to the International Court of Justice to settle this dispute in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and provisions of international law.
"My country's initiatives in this regard were supported and adopted by the Member States of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States and a large number of the members of the international community. We hope that the Iranian government will respond positively and fairly to this sensitive and important issue, in order to strengthen neighbourly relations and cooperation in serving the common interests of our two countries, and promote security and stability in the entire region."
Regarding Iraq, Shaikh Abdullah said: "We look forward to seeing the Iraqi parties agree on forming a national government that continues to build its security, political and economic institutions, extend its authority over the entire territory of Iraq and achieve a comprehensive national reconciliation. The United Arab Emirates believes that achievement of peace in the Middle East and resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict are central and vital to the achievement of peace and security in the entire region. And this cannot be realised without ending the Israeli occupation of the Occupied Palestinian and other Arab Territories and its withdrawal to the line of 4 June 1967, including [occupied] East Jerusalem, the Syrian Golan Heights and the remaining occupied territories in Southern Lebanon, in order to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy, and based on the principle of "land for peace" and the Arab Peace Initiative.
"The United Arab Emirates stands by the Palestinian National Authority and supports the Palestinian people in their quest for achieving their national goals and restoring their inalienable legitimate rights," Shaikh Abdullah said.