BAGHDAD -

The Saudi region of Uqair witnessed in these days, and about a century ago, one of the most important events that formed a milestone in the demarcation of the borders between Saudi Arabia (Najd at that time) and Iraq and Kuwait under British auspices.

After 5 days of intense meetings and discussions on the demarcation of the border, the parties signed the Treaty of Uqair, on December 2, 1922, and the British mediator Percy Cox drew the red line on the approved map, which included neutral areas between the three countries.

Al-Wondawi pointed out that the process of demarcating the borders and dividing the clans between Saudi Arabia and Iraq was not easy (Al-Jazeera)

Historical background

Cox is the owner of the idea of ​​fixing the new borders of the Iraqi-Saudi-Kuwaiti lands, after he served for a long time as the political resident in the Gulf, and after he became the High Commissioner for Iraq after Mesopotamia was placed under the British Mandate, according to the professor of contemporary political history of Iraq, Dr. Muayyad Al-Wandawi.

Al-Wondawi adds to Al-Jazeera Net that the political entities in the region began to crystallize, and it was necessary to set the lines for the borders of the Iraqi-Kuwaiti-Saudi triangle, where Sir Cox made a series of contacts with the parties to demarcate the borders, and indicates that there are more aspirations than should for this or that party, for example. There was a Saudi aspiration to take large areas in the depth of Iraq to the borders of the Euphrates River, and from there up to areas entering the Syrian and Jordanian territories, but this matter was not desired by Britain.

Al-Wondawi points out that long discussions took place about how to set the borders. The Saudi vision at the time was based on the loyalty of the clans. There are clans that follow the emir of Najd and others that follow Mesopotamia and its new monarchy, and there are those who support the Sheikh of Kuwait, but Cox did not take this proposal.

The professor of political history of Iraq shows that the Uqair agreement laid the first building block for these borders, but the problems persisted for decades between all parties, and the mutual raids continued, because they were Bedouin clans that did not know borders, and if they became restricted to these borders.

Al-Wondawi believes that the Al-Uqair agreement is stable, and after all this time it cannot be reconsidered, but the future of the stability of these borders will be linked to the size of the stability of regional relations between the relevant countries.

He points out that the process of demarcating the borders and dividing the clans between Najd and Iraq was not an easy process. Rather, it needed time to stabilize and control these borders, which for a long time suffered from clan raids and smuggling of weapons and goods.

The Uqair agreement was concluded to address the border problems between Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait (Al-Jazeera)

double-edged sword

Although nearly 100 years have passed since the signing of the Uqair Agreement, differences over its provisions still exist between the three countries.

On this, the researcher at the Regional Studies Center at the University of Mosul, Dr. Faris Turki, says that in fact there are no actual borders between Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and they also do not exist between any of the Arab countries. There are no obstacles or difficult terrain separating them, rather they are borders Artificial and developed as part of the arrangements of the post-World War I period, this geographical advantage is a double-edged sword, as it helps cooperation and unification, the more it creates problems and differences about the borders of each country and its geographical extensions.

Turki: The treaty could not end the problems between Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait (Al-Jazeera)

Turki explains to Al Jazeera Net that the Uqair Agreement came in order to address these problems, which may occur between the newly emerging countries, in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and indicates that the treaty was not able to end the problems between these countries, especially between Iraq and Kuwait for many reasons, the most important of which are That this treaty was held under British hegemony, some people were and are still challenging its legitimacy, and believe that it was held in the presence of foreign pressure, pushing towards forcing all parties to make concessions.

He adds that this agreement could not solve the problems;

Because the borders set by this agreement are artificial, and each party believed that it did not get its full rights, in addition to the fact that the border problems in the Arab countries are a reflection of the tensions that may occur between the political regimes ruling those countries.

Turki refers to the occurrence of many border disputes between Iraq and Kuwait, whether during the time of Iraqi Prime Minister Abdul Karim Qassem (1958-1963) or the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (1979-2003), and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, or even in the period Post-2003 and the disputes over the port of Mubarak and the demarcation of the land border.

On how to address border problems, Turki believes that addressing them requires strong and stable countries and mature political systems that act rationally according to the philosophy of reality away from historical allegations and allegations, and then specialized technical committees will be formed under international supervision to put a final demarcation of these borders and sign agreements binding on all parties.

He stresses the need to strive towards improving and strengthening the inter-relations between all parties and at all levels, because border problems are usually a reflection of tension and congestion at other levels, whether political, economic or social.

Jalloud: Determining the identity of the tribes living between Iraq and Saudi Arabia is one of the most prominent problems of that period (Al-Jazeera)

border problems

In turn, Head of the Political and Strategic Studies Department at the Regional Studies Center at the University of Mosul, Dr. Mithaq Khairallah Jalloud, says that border problems emerged after the end of World War I in 1918, between a number of Arab countries, especially the border problems between Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Julod explains to Al Jazeera Net that one of the most prominent problems is the issue of determining the identity of the tribes residing between Iraq and Saudi Arabia and the mutual attacks between the tribes, as well as the border problems between Iraq and Kuwait, especially the issue of territorial waters and oil fields, as well as the border problems between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

He points out that the discussions that lasted a few days until the signing did not put an end to the problems between the parties, this treaty established a neutral zone between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and it was later agreed to share its resources, and in 1965 this area became called the divided zone, not the neutral, but in The period 2009 and 2019 had problems and disagreements around it before it was overcome by returning to the Uqair Treaty and subsequent agreements, and the Saudi-Kuwaiti relations had an impact in this aspect because the two sides followed the method of flexibility in dealing with these problems.

With regard to Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Jalloud notes the signing of more than one agreement, but the demarcation of the borders and the setting of the final pillars took place in 1975 by relying on the Uqair Treaty and subsequent treaties and agreements after the improvement of relations between the two countries.

A border crossing between Iraq and Saudi Arabia was opened in 2020 to enhance trade exchange between the two countries (Reuters)

As for Kuwait, Britain demanded Iraq in 1932 to demarcate the border with Kuwait, but the matter was not resolved, and in 1939 Iraq demanded Kuwait, and the border dispute between the two parties continued and developed in 1961 when Kuwait became independent and Iraq renewed its claim.

Jalloud continues, "But in 1963, Iraq recognized Kuwait without agreeing to a final demarcation of the borders. Hence, this issue was one of the most important reasons that led to the crisis and the second Gulf War in 1990 when Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait and then the war launched by an international coalition led by America in 1991 to expel These Iraqi forces are from Kuwait.

Jalloud states that in 1993, the United Nations imposed a final demarcation of the borders on Iraq, and sent its committees without Iraq's consent, as it was under international sanctions and embargo.

It is noteworthy that Iraq recognizes the land borders drawn by the United Nations in 1993, but considers that the maritime borders stifle its coasts on the Arabian Gulf, which is vital to its economy.