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xlvi THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE ARABIAN GULF STATES
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United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi - Dubai - Sharjah - Ajman
Umm al-Qaiwain - Ras al-Khaimah - Fujairah
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On 2 December 1971, the Trucial States Council, composed of the
Rulers of the seven Trucial States of Oman, met and formally
proclaimed the establishment of a new unitary state known as the
“United Arab Emirates” (U.A.E.)1.
The State of the United Arab Emirates is constituted of the same
number of Emirates (Shaikhdoms) which formed the old “Trucial
States”. On the same date, the Amir of Abu Dhabi (previously
styled the Ruler of Abu Dhabi), was formally elected by the
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i Supreme Council of Rulers (the new name for the Trucial States
Council) as the first President of the new Federation while the Amir
of the Shaikhdom of Dubai was elected by the same Council as
Deputy President.2 In accordance with the terms of a Provisional
r Constitution, which was approved by the said Council on 18 July
1971, both the President and the Deputy President of the United
Arab Emirates shall serve in their positions for a period of five years
each. They may also be re-elected for the same positions. (Art. 52
Prov. Const.) 3
Before their independence on 2 December 1971, members of the
U.A.E. (the Trucial States) were autonomous governments in

1. See Arab Report & Record (1971) p. 622 (1971); Keesing’s Contemporary
Archives (1971-72) pp. 24731A. 25010A.
It is significant to note here that on 30 November 1971, only two days before the
proclamation of the United Arab Emirates, Iranian troops landed on three small
islands — Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs — which are situated
opposite the coasts of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah, respectively. The three
strategically important islands are off the Arabian Gulf entrance to the straits of
Hormuz. In the case of Abu Musa, which was known to be under the
sovereignty and control of the Ruler of Sharjah, an agreement was signed in
November 1971, between Sharjah and Iran, by virtue of which the latter was
allowed to occupy certain areas of the island, provided that the rest of it would
remain under the control of Sharjah. As regards the two Tunbs, they were in the
past under the sovereignty and control of Ras al-Khaimah. Since no agreement
was reached with Iran concerning them, Iranian troops occupied them forcibly
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and a number of fatal casualties were, therefore, reported on both the Arab and
Iranian sides. Iran had, in the past, laid claims to the said islands, but she did not
press her claims publicly before 1968, the year in which the United Kingdom
announced her intention to withdraw British military forces from the Gulf by the
end of 1971.
2. Ibid.
3. The U.A.E. Provisional Constitution of 18 July 1971 became operative on -
December 1971. The Arabic text of the said Constitution is published in the
U.A.E. Official Gazette No. I, (1st year), December 1971.