Sunday, August 17, 2008

The deception of 'misunderstanding'

Aug.17, 2008



The deception of 'misunderstanding'

IRAN HAS responded to the UAE's rejection of its move to set up two administrative offices at the UAE's Island of Abu Mousa describing it as resulting from a "misunderstanding." One fails to see how there could be any misunderstanding when Tehran uses every opportunity to declare that the island is Iranian and refuses to accept the UAE's call for bilateral talks on the issue or placing it for international arbitration or referring it to the International Court of Justice.
According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hassan Qashqavi: "Any misunderstanding of executive measures regarding Abu Mousa Island can be resolved in bilateral talks within framework of the 1971 Letter of Agreement (Memorandum of Understanding)."
That is simply a repetition of the typical Iranian practice of stating that the dispute could be settled through direct talks with the UAE while Tehran fails to take practical action towards this goal.
It is ironic that the spokesman also found it fit to state that "Taking propagational advantage of the matter is regarded as unconstructive and against the prevailing positive spirit of relations between Iran and the Emirates."
How could it be "propagational" when the UAE is pointing out that Iran is violating the 1971 MoU by setting up offices on Abu Mousa despite the fact that does not have sovereignty over the island or even parts of it?
The UAE does not need to be reminded of the "prevailing positive spirit of relations" with Iran. It remains very much committed maintaining and nurturing those relations at all levels, as the leaders of the UAE have consistently stated and reaffirmed by the Federal National Council as recently as this week. At the same time, the UAE should not be expected to maintain silence in the face of Iran's breach of the 1971 MoU through illegal actions that violate the UAE's sovereignty of Abu Mousa. Such actions do undermine the spirit of bilateral relations and mutual trust.
The first Iranian good faith measure in this context would be dismantling of the two administrative offices it has set up on the island. Parallel to that Tehran should respond positively to the UAE's proposal that the two sides discuss the issue of Iranian occupation of the three UAE islands — Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Mousa — and work out a solution. Short of that Tehran should agree to refer the matter for international arbitration or to the International Court of Justice.
Iran's refusal to accept the UAE's open proposal could not be an emphatic affirmation of its awareness that it stands no chance of establishing any claim over the three UAE islands. Issuing deceptive statements but refusing to take practical action will not solve the problem.