The UAE welcomed the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday in regards to Qatar’s request for “provisional measures” under the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The ICJ refused to grant any of the provisional measures specifically requested by Qatar.
By a very narrow margin, the Court indicated certain measures with which the UAE is already in compliance.
In a statement on Monday, the UAE said that the ICJ’s decision reflects that provisional measures sought by Qatar are without a valid basis.
“Instead of these unproductive manipulations, Qatar should be engaging with the legitimate concerns of the UAE and the other three States that have ended relations with Qatar because of its continuing support for terrorism and its efforts to destabilize the region.”
The UAE reiterated that its actions are against the Qatari government and not against the Qatari people, it added in its statement.
“Contrary to Qatar’s false allegations, thousands of Qataris continue to reside in and visit the UAE,” it said.
Qatari visitors may enter the UAE with prior entry permit issued through the telephone hot-line announced on June 11, 2017.
“We urge Qatar to constructively engage in the requests made by the UAE and other countries for it to comply with its international obligations.”
The UAE stressed that it will continue to welcome Qatari citizens into its territory, “as affirmed in the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on July 5, 2018,” the statement added.
UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash noted that the court's decision represented only "provisional measures" and that a final ruling on the whole case was still to come.
“The judges rejected the Qatari demands and called for taking three measures concerning families, students and access to litigation, which the United Arab Emirates has already implemented in accordance to its national regulations after the steps taken by the four nations against Doha," Gargash said in a post on Twitter.
Associate Information Officer in the ICJ Avo Sevag Garabet, for his part, said that the ruling issued on Monday in Qatar's case against the UAE is a partial ruling.
“The court has not made a decision on the substance of the case, but it has issued a provisional ruling on temporary measures for Qatari nationals affected by the boycott,” Garabet explained.
“Reviewing the core of the case continues and there will be a timetable for the filing of documents, and after the end of the so-called period of writing, the court will determine public hearings to discuss the content of the documents,” he added.
Garabet concluded his statement by saying that the decision issued on Monday guarantees the inclusion of Qatari families.
