The Agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on the delimitation of boundaries was signed in Jeddah on 21 August 1974, in two copies, the authentic text in Arabic. Signatories: King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. Article 9: entry into force immediately on signature. It is not the 1965 Saudi–Qatari settlement, nor the 1950s Buraimi file.

The preamble invokes the Shariah, Islamic solidarity and neighbourliness and records the wish to delimit the land and offshore boundaries definitively. Article 1: the land boundary is the line set out in the agreement. Article 2 traces that line by geographical points from the Arabian Gulf coast to the tripoint with Oman, which remains to be agreed by the three States — without a coordinate itinerary.

Articles 3 and 4, at a high level, attribute the hydrocarbons of the Shaybah-Zarrarah field to Saudi Arabia and bar each party from exploiting extensions of fields located primarily in the other State. Article 5: the UAE recognises Saudi sovereignty over Huwaysat island; Saudi Arabia recognises Emirati sovereignty over the other islands opposite its coast; maritime delimitation is left to a later equitable settlement.

Article 6: an international firm chosen by the two States is to prepare the official map of the line, an integral annex. Article 7: a joint technical commission of three members from each side supervises the work. Article 10: the place of signature is Jeddah, the Hijri date 3 Sha‘ban 1394. Saudi Arabia registered the instrument with the United Nations on 9 September 1993 (UNTS 30250). The UAE has publicly contested parts of the settlement since 1975.

The official text consulted is the English translation in the United Nations Treaty Series, not a press account. The preliminary map annexed to article 2 does not form an integral part of the agreement, according to the note supplied by the Saudi Government at registration.

Cover: the historic Al-Balad quarter of Jeddah, the city of signature; we do not claim the hall. Wikimedia Commons, free licence.

Sources consulted: Treaty of Jeddah (1974); UNTS 30250 Agreement on the delimitation of boundaries.