C RECEIVED INREGISTRY NO.9-2 DEC 1971
PRIORITYEN CLAIRFM ALGIERS 011855Z
NBEHIOTOP COPY
UNCLASSIFIED
TO PRIORITY FCO TEL NO. 356 OF 1 DECEMBER 1971.
INFO PRIORITY TO: TEHRAN, JEDDA, KUWAIT, BAHRAIN RESIDENCY.
ROUTI NE T: CAIRO, BAGHDAD, DUBAI, ABU DHABI, UKMIS NEWYORK,
BEIRUT, TRIPOLI, MUSCAT, DOHA.
GULF
لما
1. ALGIERS PRESS COMMENT TODAY ON THE IRANIAN MILITARY ACTION IN
THE HORMUZ STRAIT OUTLINES THE HISTORY OF THE DISPUTE OVER. THE
OWNERSHIP OF THE ISLANDS AND CONCENTRATES ON THEIR STRATEGIC VALUE.
2. IT POINTS OUT THAT THE ABU MUSA SETTLEMENT DEALS WITH THEPRACTICAL PROBLEM BUT AVOIDS THE ISSUE OF SOVEREIGNTY.
3. COMMENTING ON THE OUTCOME, EL MOUDJAHID STATES THAT THELENGTHY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE DISPUTE HAVE BEEN COMPLICATEDBY THE FACT THAT THE ARAB COUNTRIES DECLARED THAT THEY WOULDGIVE COMPLETE SUPPORT TO THE TWO EMIRATES TO DEFEND THE ARABCHARACTER OF THE THREE ISLANDS. BUT , IT CONT I NUES, ACCORDING
TO CERTAIN INFORMATION, SAUDI ARABIA AND KUWAIT SEEM TO HAVEAGREED NOT TO OPPOSE THE OCCUPATION OF OHE ISLANDS BY IRANPROVIDED THAT IRAN DROPPED ITS CLAIM TO BAHRAIN.
/FCO
