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By Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli, Former Kuwaiti Oil Minister
WE witnessed uproar against the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Iran Majdi Al-Thufairi - one of the best diplomats - last week when he talked about the proposed naming of the Gulf water as Persian Gulf, instead of Arabian Gulf. He said the idea emerged at a time when the spirit of patriotism was spreading in the region and during the confrontation between former Egyptian leader Jamal Abdul Nasser and the Shah in Iran.
We believe the name of the territorial water does not matter as it is shared equally by the Arabs and Persians. The Arabs, including Iraq and Arabian Gulf countries, are on the northern part of the territorial water, while Iran is on the West. This territorial water divides the Arabs and Persians, so I think it should be named ‘Gulf’, as the Western people call it.
Iran strongly calls for the naming of this territorial water as Persian Gulf. Last week, a Greek airhost at the Iranian Kish Company lost his job when the Iranian passengers protested after seeing the Arabian Gulf on the flight plan showed on the screens of the aircraft. The airhost then asked the passengers to calm down, but instead of rewarding him, the Iranian authorities at the airport cancelled his immigration permit!
Later, the Iranian transportation minister issued a statement, advising the foreign airline companies from Arab countries to refrain from using the name ‘Arabian Gulf’. We were surprised by the move ... >>>