On the three UAE islands
United Arab Emirates-Syria, Politics, 3/22/2000

The Kuwaiti daily al-Watan on Tuesday stated that Western reports have been increased recently noting a United Arab Emirates - Syrian rapprochement to revitalize the issue of the three Gulf islands which are claimed by the UAE and occupied by Iran.

In a report from its correspondent in London the paper said that amid the atmosphere of traditional tension in the relations between the UAE and Iran are due to the three islands of Lesser Tanb, Greater Tanb and Abu Moussa. Western reports do not rule out that the coming phase will witness the crystallization of Gulf and Arab poles towards this file. Saudi Arabia and the majority of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Iran form an independent Pole while the UAE, Syria and Iraq constitute another independent pole.

Before this split into poles, the US seems to be taking a neutral position as far as its military and strategic presence in the area is not vulnerable.

The Kuwaiti paper added, for the long run, whenever Damascus takes one step towards Tel Aviv in the name of peace negotiations, it will get apart steps from Tehran, and therefore the UAE seeks to strengthen its relations with Syria through slow but firm steps to invest them in the future in the interest of the file of the three islands.

As a result two important developments took place. The first was that the UAE and Syria agreed to establish a free trade zone between the two states by the year 2003.

The second development what was expressed by the UAE in its intention to buy 80 advanced F-16 SD warplanes from the US. This development indicates that Washington backs the UAE foreign policy because this policy is invested at the present against Iran and against the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement.

Previous Stories:
  UAE president voices backing for Syria   (1/31/2000)
  Syria, UAE for boosting bilateral relations   (1/26/2000)
  UAE minister arrives in Damascus   (1/25/2000)

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