Senior MP: Building Artificial Islands Darkens Iran-UAE Ties
News number: 8101300763 14:07 | 2012-04-23
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8101300763

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Iranian legislator called on the United Arab Emirates
to immediately stop construction of man-made islands in the Persian Gulf,
and cautioned that such moves would tarnish the relations between Tehran and
Abu Dhabi.

"The UAE's move to create artificial islands in the Persian Gulf contradicts
the ecological rights (of Iran and other regional nations) and will affect
the level of Iran's relations with this country negatively," member of the
parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Zohreh Elahian
told FNA on Monday.

She called on all Persian Gulf littoral states to protest at the UAE's move,
and said the measure can be pursued legally within international bodies and
organizations.

The UAE has planned to build over 325 artificial islands in the waters of
the Persian Gulf by the year 2016. These islands will reportedly have
tourist resorts, railroads, hotels and other tourist facilities.

The development came amid Tehran's stepped-up efforts to boost ties and
cooperation with the neighboring states, the Persian Gulf littoral states in
particular.

Iran is a significant trade partner for the UAE, with the trade volume
between Iran and the emirate of Dubai alone estimated at about $10 billion a
year.