Clive, this is what I dug out on the web overnight. I would welcome any
more that you have -- i'm still not absolutely sure this is a
comprehensive settlement of the whole shebang, from the Red Sea to
wherever the Omani-Yemeni-Saudi tripartite point may be or whether, if
it does embrace everything, how much either side has secured of the
debateable lands -- or even of the unclaimed triangle.
I'm also including a snippet on the Oman-Pakistan boundary.the souyrce
is the GULF NEWS (UAE) of 13 June 2000.
John
News from the Gulf region
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
Saudis, Yemen sign border agreement
>From Our Riyadh Correspondent
Saudi Arabia and Yemen yesterday signed an agreement ending decades of
bitterness, which sometimes degenerated into armed clashes, over border
areas both sides claimed.
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh told reporters shortly before he
left Saudi Arabia that the agreement was "important, satisfactory... and
is just to both sides."
"The (armed) forces of the two countries will withdraw about 20 km on
both sides," so any friction between the Yemeni and Saudi border guards
and forces will be eliminated, Saleh added.
Joint patrols will be agreed upon later, he said. Yemeni and Saudi
interior ministry officials will oversee what has been agreed upon, said
Saleh, who also hoped the agreement will be "a new page" for relations
between the two sides.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz praised the
agreement as one serving both peoples. Details of the agreement will be
announced soon, he said. Saleh and Prince Sultan were speaking at a
joint press conference held in the airport in the city of Jeddah where
the talks were held.
The border pact was signed by Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdul-Qader
Bagammal and his Saudi counterpart Prince Saud Al Faisal.
Saleh and Prince Abdullah left for Damascus, Syria to attend the funeral
of late Syrian President Hafez Al Assad this morning.
Yemeni Ambassador to Riyadh, Mohammed Ahmed Al Kabbab, told Gulf News
the talks between the two leaders were crucial in clearing the remaining
contention over the border points of Ras Al Maawaj on the Red Sea and
Jabal Al Thar inland.
Riyadh and Sanaa have signed an initial border agreement in 1934 to
demarcate the 2,500-kilometre frontier but armed clashes kept flaring
with deaths of soldiers reported on both sides. The two sides
resurrected the agreement in 1995 and set up three committees to oversee
the demarcation.
Relations worsened after Yemen was seen as supporting Iraq during its
invasion of Kuwait. But relations began gradually improving between
Yemen and other Arab Gulf states and the road to Saleh's visit was
cleared Prince Abdullah headed a Saudi delegation to celebrations in
Sanaa on May 22 for the 10th anniversary of Yemen's unification.
the source for the following is the OMAN OBSERVER of 13 June 2000.
Headline news
A landmark in Oman-Pakistan ties
Agreement on sea border, economic zone is signed
Yusuf bin Alawi and Abdul Sattar signing the agreement. — Picture by
Mohammed al Rashdi
MUSCAT — The Sultanate and Pakistan signed at Al Bustan Palace Hotel
here on Monday an agreement on maritime borders and exclusive economic
zone between the two countries.
Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs,
signed the agreement on behalf of the Sultanate’s government, while
Abdul Sattar, Pakistani Foreign Minister, signed for his country.
The signing ceremony was attended by His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin
Mahmood al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, and
General Pervez Musharraf, Chief Executive of Pakistan.
Following the signing of the agreement, Alawi said that the Muscat pact
represented a landmark in the Oman-Pakistan relations which, he noted,
were always good and marked by mutual trust.
Alawi added that the defining of the exclusive economic zones in the
Gulf of Oman for both countries had not posed any difficulty, noting
that the agreement was the first of its kind to be signed by the
Sultanate.
In a statement to reporters, Alawi explained that the pact would pave
the way for defining exclusive economic zones with other neighbouring
countries and would help resolve many problems relating to fishing and
ideal utilisation of marine wealth.
Alawi expressed delight "for achieving this mission within a short
time", saying that the borders were demarcated according to the
international maritime law.
He noted that the signing of the agreement in the presence of HH Sayyid
Fahd and General Musharraf proved the depth of bilateral relations.
In reply to a question, Alawi said General Musharraf’s visit to the
Sultanate proved that he was determined to lead Pakistan into a new era
of progress at the local and regional levels.
General Musharraf briefed His Majesty Sultan Qaboos about the plans he
intended to adopt in his leadership of Pakistan, said Alawi, noting that
those plans deserved Oman’s support and the support of others.
Alawi pointed out that the talks between the Pakistani Chief Executive
and His Majesty the Sultan covered all political and economic issues
relating to bilateral co-operation and globalisation, as well as the
role of both countries in such spheres.
"As we have been assured, Pakistan has endeavoured to defuse all types
of tension in the region and in South Asia and we certainly support such
efforts," said Alawi, who added, "We encourage every neighbouring
country that tries to proceed towards the future as per the principles
of mutual respect and fraternity."
Alawi said that it would be appropriate for all countries to support
Pakistan which, he added, is a neighbour and a Muslim country facing
many challenges. He added that backing the Pakistani government would
enhance stability and security in the region and would encourage the
Pakistanis to make more efforts in resolving disputes with its
neighbouring states, Alawi said.
Alawi noted that the Sultanate had demarcated all land borders with the
neighbouring countries and it signed in the early 1970s a sea border
demarcation pact with Iran.
The borderline, according to the pact signed on Monday, extended to 146
knots and it was agreed on 9 points at the border to define the
exclusive economic waters. The nearest point was 105 knots from the
nearest mainland point in each country.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar hailed the wise policy of His
Majesty the Sultan in finalising the Sultanate’s border demarcation with
its neighbouring countries.
He said that His Majesty was a wise leader who always thought of
eliminating any potential disputes with the Sultanate’s neighbouring
countries. The minister expressed his delight over the two countries
taking this significant step which, he said, would further enhance
bilateral co-operation.
He added that his country was keen on pushing forward its relations with
the Sultanate and its people.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
Published by The Oman Establishment for Press, News, Publication and
Advertising
Chairman of Board of Directors
Sultan Bin Hamad Bin Saud
Editor in Chief
Said Bin Khalfan Al Harthy
Ends John
In message <[log in to unmask]>, Clive Schofield
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>After decades of disagreement including frequent border clashes it
>seems that one of the longest running border disputes in the world -
> and certainly one of the largest in terms of the geographical scope
>of the area subject to dispute and length of the line to be settled -
>has been resolved.
>
>It was reported that on 12 june Yemen and Saudi Arabia signed an
>agreement in Jeddah which lays down arrangements for the
>demarcation of 1,500 km (932 miles) of land and maritime borders.
>
>Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh told reporters before leaving
>the Red Sea port city of Jeddah that the two sides had "reached a
>peaceful, cordial, brotherly and satisfactory solution which would
>be preserved by future generations in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.''
>"The forces of the two countries will withdraw about 20 km (12.5
>miles) on both sides,'' Saleh added.
>
>The agreement was signed by Yemeni Foreign Affairs Minister
>Abdul-Qader Bagammal and his Saudi counterpart Prince Saud al-
>Faisal. The Yemeni president and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah
>were also present. Joint committees headed by the Interior
>Minister from each side are to be charged with implementing the
>agreement and a company is to be selected to carry out the
>demarcation work.
>
>It is to be hoped that the agreement will prove successful in
>resolving the dispute between the two states which has proved to
>be a serious source of tension over the years. However, the devil
>may well be in the detail of its implementation.
>
>Clive Schofield
>IBRU
>
>
--
John Roberts/Ann Milnes Roberts
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