Saudi Arabia – United Arab Emirates border dispute
Encyclopedia
Saudi Arabia
has had a number of border disputes with its neighbouring states in the Arabian peninsula
.
was apparently resolved with the Treaty of Jeddah (officially entitled "Agreement on the delimitation of boundaries (with exchange of letters and map)") which was signed at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 21 August 1974. The provisions of the treaty were not publicly disclosed until 1995, when it was lodged with the United Nations. However, the UAE has yet to ratify the agreement.
The Jeddah Agreement granted Saudi Arabia a 25 km corridor eastwards from Khawr al Udayd
, thus giving the Saudis an outlet to the Persian Gulf
on the eastern side of Qatar. In return, the UAE was to keep six villages in the area of Al Buraimi
, including al-Ain, and most of al-Zafra desert. Article 3 of the agreement stated that “all hydrocarbons in the Shaybah-Zarrara field shall be considered as belonging to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” and provided for exploration and development of the whole field by Saudi Arabia. Article 4 stipulated that Saudi Arabia and the UAE “each undertake to refrain from engaging in and from permitting the exploitation of hydro-carbons in that part of its territory to which the hydrocarbon fields primarily located in the territory of the other state extend."
In 2005, there were concerns that the border dispute might flare up again. Some maps published in the UAE still reportedly show the country stretching as far westwards as Qatar
The UAE publicly reopened the dispute in 2006, claiming some lost territory. It might be argued that the 1974 agreement was of doubtful legality in terms of international law
. It has never been published, nor was it ratified by the UAE Federal National Council, a crucial step to make the agreement binding on the parties. Nor was Qatar
, which suddenly discovered it no longer had a land border with the UAE, even a party to the negotiations, although Qatar had in fact made a separate agreement on its border with Saudi Arabia in 1965.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
has had a number of border disputes with its neighbouring states in the Arabian peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
.
General Aspects
The border dispute with the United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
was apparently resolved with the Treaty of Jeddah (officially entitled "Agreement on the delimitation of boundaries (with exchange of letters and map)") which was signed at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 21 August 1974. The provisions of the treaty were not publicly disclosed until 1995, when it was lodged with the United Nations. However, the UAE has yet to ratify the agreement.
The Jeddah Agreement granted Saudi Arabia a 25 km corridor eastwards from Khawr al Udayd
Khawr al Udayd
Khawr al Udayd, also spelled Khor al Adaid, is an inlet of the Persian Gulf in the southeast of Qatar. It is known to local English speakers as the "Inland Sea".-External links:*...
, thus giving the Saudis an outlet to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
on the eastern side of Qatar. In return, the UAE was to keep six villages in the area of Al Buraimi
Al Buraimi
Al Buraimi is the newest governorate of Oman which was split from the Ad Dhahirah region.Until October, 2006, the area was part of Ad Dhahirah region. At this time, the new governorate was created from the wilayats Al Buraymi and Mahdah...
, including al-Ain, and most of al-Zafra desert. Article 3 of the agreement stated that “all hydrocarbons in the Shaybah-Zarrara field shall be considered as belonging to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” and provided for exploration and development of the whole field by Saudi Arabia. Article 4 stipulated that Saudi Arabia and the UAE “each undertake to refrain from engaging in and from permitting the exploitation of hydro-carbons in that part of its territory to which the hydrocarbon fields primarily located in the territory of the other state extend."
In 2005, there were concerns that the border dispute might flare up again. Some maps published in the UAE still reportedly show the country stretching as far westwards as Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
The UAE publicly reopened the dispute in 2006, claiming some lost territory. It might be argued that the 1974 agreement was of doubtful legality in terms of international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
. It has never been published, nor was it ratified by the UAE Federal National Council, a crucial step to make the agreement binding on the parties. Nor was Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, which suddenly discovered it no longer had a land border with the UAE, even a party to the negotiations, although Qatar had in fact made a separate agreement on its border with Saudi Arabia in 1965.
Sources
See also
- Geography of the United Arab EmiratesGeography of the United Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates is situated in Southwest Asia, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia; it is in a strategic location along northern approaches to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil. The UAE lies between 22°50′ and 26°...
- Geography of Saudi ArabiaGeography of Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia is a country situated in Southwest Asia, the largest country of Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen. Its extensive coastlines on the Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping through the Persian Gulf and Suez Canal. The kingdom occupies...
- Unification of Saudi ArabiaUnification of Saudi ArabiaThe unification of Saudi Arabia was the process by which the various tribes, sheikhdoms, and emirates of most of the Arabian Peninsula were consolidated under the control of the House of Saud, or Al Saud, between 1902 and 1932, when the modern-day Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was proclaimed...
- Saudi–Iraqi neutral zone
- Saudi–Kuwaiti neutral zone