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Chapter Nine

                 negotiations for membership of the UAE, one of her conditions being
                 that the other Emirates “should adopt the question of Iranian
                 occupation of the islands", to which they agreed.
                   Ha's al Khaimah formally joined the UAE on 10 February 1972.
                 Like Sharjah, Ra’s al Khaimah was allotted six seats in the assembly,
                 thus falling short of being ranked with Abu Dhabi and Dubai, who
                 have eight seats each. Ra’s al Khaimah was assured of substantial
                 federal assistance for her development projects. Having participated
                 actively in the discussions during the three years of preparing for the
                 nine-member federation, Ra’s al Khaimah’s leaders integrated into
                 an already familiar political system. Thus it is not surprising that a
                 member of one of the leading Ra’s al Khaimah families was nominated
                 Deputy Foreign Minister on 6 February, some days before the seventh
                 State formally joined the federation. He was the late Saif Ghabash.


                 5 The Constitution of the UAE


                 A constitution made for the nine Gulf emirates
                 The document which was signed on 18 July 1971 by six Trucial States
                 and on 11 February 1972 by Ra’s al Khaimah was entitled "Provi­
                 sional Constitution of the United Arab Emirates".123 It was to be
                 valid for five years only, during which period a permanent consti­
                 tution was to be prepared. However, this first constitution is still in
                 force today, 1982. This may indicate that the realities of federal
                 political life at times encouraged a very flexible interpretation of
                 some provisions of the constitution for the sake of maintaining a
                 workable consensus, particularly within the Supreme Council.
                   The predominant reason for the unexpected longevity of the first
                 constitution, however, is found in the main characteristics of this
                 constitution itself. Although many of the 152 articles, particularly the
                 majority of those which deal with the Fundamental Social and
                 Economic Basis of the Union, could be found in similar wording in
                 the constitutions of many countries, there are certain key provisions
                 which are tailor-made by and for the federating shaikhdoms. These
                 are  the results of the long drawn out deliberations which preceded
                 the formation of the federation. But even beyond the date of signature
                 nothing but a delicately balanced compromise would be acceptable
                 to some  parties with regard to certain issues, a fact which makes the
                constitution remain, despite all its inadequacies in other respects . a
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