UAE presents ICJ with evidence to refute false Qatari allegations

HAGUE, 28th June, 2018 (WAM) -- The UAE presented its submissions to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in connection with the request for provisional measures filed by the State of Qatar against the UAE on 11 June 2018. The UAE maintains that Qatar’s claims are baseless and without merit. Qatar has falsely alleged that the measures taken by the UAE against Qatar since June 5, 2017, breach the UAE’s commitments under the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (the Convention). Qatar’s claims represent its continued efforts to distract attention from its support for terrorism, its promotion of hatred and violence, and its interference in the affairs of other sovereign States. The UAE maintains that it is in full compliance with the Convention. The UAE has presented evidence to the ICJ that unequivocally refutes all the allegations made by Qatar. The UAE has not implemented any measures for the expulsion or deportation of Qatari nationals based on their nationality. There are thousands of Qatari citizens currently residing in and visiting the UAE. All Qataris in the UAE continue to enjoy the full rights granted by law to all residents or visitors of the UAE. Qatari residents live with their families, attend school, and have access to health care as well as government services. They run businesses and work in government jobs. In the ICJ, the UAE Ambassador to the Netherlands, Ambassador Saeed Al Nowais stated: "The UAE completely rejects Qatar’s allegations, all of which are without any merit or basis. Qatar has put forward no credible evidence to substantiate any of these claims." "We recognise that the Qatari people have no responsibility for the dangerous policies of their Government, which is why the UAE’s measures against the Qatari Government are carefully designed to have the least possible impact on ordinary people." "The reality is that the present crisis was caused by Qatar’s own unlawful conduct and the solution is largely within Qatar’s hands. Qatar must, in accordance with its international obligations, stop harbouring and supporting terrorist groups and individuals." Qatar today continues to support a number of terrorist groups including Al-Qaida, the Al Nusra Front, Da’esh, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah and Hamas. It also supports dangerous extremist groups in countries such as Libya, Syria and Somalia. While the UAE has taken various measures against the Qatari government that are essential for the protection of its national security interests, the UAE has taken extraordinary measures to ensure that ordinary Qataris and members of Emirati-Qatari mixed families are not prejudiced. Since President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued his directive for the establishment of a hotline following the UAE’s decision to sever relations with Qatar on June 5, 2017, the hotline has received and granted thousands of applications by Qataris for travel into the UAE. In 2018 alone, the hotline has received 1,390 applications. Of that number, 1,378 applications have been approved. The UAE is confident that the ICJ will review the evidence closely in view of Qatar’s record in past cases before the Court and scrutinize the strength of the relative evidence provided by each party, The UAE is a model of openness and inclusiveness in the region. The UAE will continue to work with other responsible governments to hold Qatar accountable for its internationally wrongful conduct. Summary of evidence submitted by the UAE to the International Court of Justice The UAE submitted official evidence that: As of mid-June, 2018, there were 2194 Qataris in the UAE, a number that is not substantially different than the number as at June 5, 2017. Qataris in the UAE continue to enjoy the full rights granted to all visitors and residents. The UAE submitted official statistics proving that: Qatari citizens continue to freely transfer money both from and to the UAE. The UAE’s evidence includes a summary of bank remittances between the UAE and Qatar showing inward remittances of AED 26,463,270,000 and outward remittances of AED 15,747,493,000 for the period of June 2017 to April 2018. The UAE also presented official evidence that: Qatari citizens continue to enjoy access to their assets and investments in the UAE, including copies of commercial licenses issued by the UAE authorities to Qatari companies during the period of the crisis. The UAE presented official evidence to show that: Qataris in the UAE continue to have access to healthcare including evidence that Qatari citizens continue to be covered under the UAE government’s Daman UAE health insurance scheme.