Egypt govt to present evidence of Saudi sovereignty in islands deal appeal

Egypt’s cabinet said Wednesday that they would provide the documents necessary to prove that two Red Sea islands belong to Saudi Arabia, appealing a Tuesday court decision that deemed them Egyptian, state news agency MENA reported.

Tuesday’s ruling by the country’s Administrative Court stipulated that an April decision by the government to place the islands of Tiran and Sanafir under Saudi Arabian sovereignty was void.

According to the MENA report, the government will present documents, maps and treaties to prove Saudi Arabia’s longstanding sovereignty over the islands.

However, the government did not present these documents to the Administrative Court prior to the verdict. The lawyer representing the government was fined at least twice for failing to present these documents.

The government is yet to present these documents to the parliament, which is expected to discuss the deal and vote on it after the Supreme Administrative Court has made its final ruling.

The cabinet, in its Wednesday meeting, maintained that the court had no jurisdiction in ruling on the matter, but that documents would be presented during the appeal nonetheless.

The border demarcation deal, which was signed by Egypt and Saudi Arabia during a five-day visit by Saudi King Salman to Cairo, sparked widespread street protests during which dozens of demonstrators were arrested and later put on trial for illegally protesting.

All of those who stood trial were acquitted in court, but 47 defendants paid EGP 100,000 in fines.

The Saudi Shura Council approved the deal on 25 April and the Saudi cabinet followed suit on 2 May.

source: Ahram Online