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Gulf team to renew efforts to end Iran-UAE territorial row

DUBAI: A Gulf Arab team trying to resolve a territorial row between Iran and the United Arab Emirates plans new talks with Tehran following the victory of reformers in parliamentary polls there, a Gulf minister said.

Oman's Foreign Minister Youssef bin Alawi bin Abdullah said a tripartite committee of Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar "will soon start contacts with Iran now the parliamentary elections are over to look at how to bring points of view closer between Iran and the UAE so as to start direct negotiations".

Bin Alawi made his comments in an interview with the UAE's Abu Dhabi Television on Monday night. His comments were also carried by the official Omani News Agency.

The committee was set up last year after the UAE threatened to quit the Gulf Cooperation Council alliance in anger over Saudi Arabia improving ties with Iran before the row over three Gulf islands is resolved.

After years of mutual suspicion, relations between Gulf Arab states and their non-Arab neighbour have warmed since Iranian President Mohammad Khatami launched a drive to break Iran's regional and international isolation.

But the dispute over the strategic islands of Abu Musa and the Lesser and Greater Tunbs -- located near key shipping lanes at the mouth of the Gulf -- still hampers a further improvement in relations.

Gulf Arab states welcomed the victory of reformers allied with Khatami against conservatives in last week's parliamentary polls and say they hope the new assembly will help further improve relations with Iran.

Iran which controls the three islands, says it is ready for talks to resolve the "misunderstanding". But the UAE wants the talks to have a clear agenda and a specific time frame, and suggests referring the dispute to international arbitration if direct talks fail.-Reuters