Saudi Arabia reiterated on Monday its “categorical rejections of any claims of rights by any other party in the divided submerged area within its designated boundaries with Kuwait.”
It underscored “the importance of Iraq respecting Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and honoring bilateral and international agreements,” said a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement.
It added that Saudi Arabia was monitoring with “deep concern the coordinate lists and a map filed by Iraq with the United Nations.”
“The submissions include encroachments that extend to large parts of the divided submerged area adjacent to the Saudi-Kuwaiti divided zone.,” it noted.
“The Kingdom shares with Kuwait ownership of natural resources in that area under agreements concluded and in force between them. Those agreements are based on the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” stressed the statement.
“The coordinates also violate the sovereignty of Kuwait over its maritime areas and its maritime elevations, including Fasht Al-Qaid and Fasht Al-Aij,” it remarked.
Kuwait’s foreign ministry said Iraq's claim infringes on Kuwait’s sovereignty by placing Kuwaiti areas, including the Fasht al-Qaid and Fasht al-Aij shoals, in Iraqi territory.
Saudi Arabia called on Iraq to comply with all relevant United Nations resolutions, especially United Nations Security Council Resolution 833. The resolution demarcated the land and maritime boundary between Kuwait and Iraq.
The ministry called for “reason, wisdom and dialogue to prevail in resolving differences,” urging “serious and responsible engagement in line with the rules and principles of international law and good neighborliness.”
Qatar, the United Emirates and Oman have issued statements in solidarity with Kuwait.
