Oman voices full solidarity with UAE over the three islands
Oman-Gulf, Politics, 6/10/1999

Omani Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Youssef Bin Alawi has voiced Oman's support and full backing for the United Arab Emirates in order to restore the UAE's sovereignty over its three islands of Lesser Tanb, Greater Tanb and Abu Mousa.

Meanwhile, in Riyadh, the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Sheikh Jamil al-Hujeilan. said that the atmospheres of relations between the GCC member states "are good." He stressed in press statements he made to journalists in Riyadh on Wednesday that "exchanges of blame" between Saudi Arabia and the UAE are "familiar," but he asserted, "This will not affect the essence of the solid relations" among the GCC member states.

Bin Alawi said following talks he held with Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, "We will not hesitate in giving all support for the UAE on all levels, material and moral or in the level of the media." The Omani minister stressed that his talks in Tehran dealt with the question of the three islands. He added that Iran's stand is well-known and, "We are not with the Iranian attitude in this respect, and thereby we express our stand in that the three UAE islands were occupied by Iran under the Shah and the new system in Iran has to view this matter within this perspective."

The Omani minister added that the GCC member states, including the UAE, "do not seek to undermine Iranian interests, and we expect, in response, Iran will not damage interests of its neighbors."

Bin Alawi left Abu Dhabi following a short visit and headed for Muscat. Prior to leaving Muscat for Abu Dhabi, the Omani FM made similar statements in which he stressed Oman's solidarity with UAE, but he denied that Oman is to mediate between the two countries.

He said, "We are looking to proper conditions that should be prepared to settle the problem of the islands."

Previous Stories:
  GCC chief mediates between UAE and Saudi Arabia   (6/8/1999)
  UAE warns Gulf states of Iran   (6/7/1999)
  Omani FM concludes visit to Iran   (6/1/1999)

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