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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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