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Qatar’s rivals turn to top UN court in airspace feud
ABU DHABI, June 27, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Qatar’s regional rivals including
Saudi Arabia and the UAE said Wednesday they would file a complaint at the
highest UN court against the isolated Gulf state over alleged airspace
violations.
Both sides in a regional diplomatic crisis that saw a Saudi-led bloc break
off all ties with Qatar last year are turning to the International Court of
Justice in the Hague to hear their grievances.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt decided to submit the airspace
case to the ICJ on the grounds that the International Civil Aviation
Organisation was not competent to consider the dispute, Saudi and UAE state
media said.
The UAE has filed two complaints with the ICAO over what Qatar’s rivals say
are airspace violations that threaten civil aviation.
The UAE accuses Qatar of sending fighter jets to intercept passenger
flights and a civilian helicopter in Bahraini airspace.
Doha has denied approaching any UAE-operated flights.
The Saudi-led bloc cut off relations with Qatar on June 5, 2017, accusing
it of supporting terrorism and Iran, which Doha denies.
Qatar has also filed a case at the ICJ accusing the UAE of human rights
violations.
Judges at the court in The Hague — which rules in disputes between
countries — will start a three-day hearing at Doha’s request on Wednesday.
The row has left the small peninsula nation regionally isolated with its
only land border closed, its state-owned airline barred from using its
neighbours’ airspace and Qatari residents expelled from the boycotting
states.
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1427 hrs