conflict were under the sovereignty of the Arab rulers of the Omani coast which then included the emirates that today constituted the United Arab Emirates. The earliest international official recognition of such sovereignty dates back to 1864 when the Qawasim ruler of the Omani coastal areas "sent an official message to the British Resident informing him that the islands of Abu Musa, Greater and Lesser Tunbs, and Abu Neair had been ruled by his early ancestors, and would, therefore, remain under his rule" (Al-Roken, p.140). These islands had exchanged hands of different Arab rulers before, but the Qawasim rule throughout the 19th century was not disputed by Great Britain or any other regional powers.
             Throughout the 1870s, the island of Abu Musa became an important agricultural center for the Qawasim who officially ruled the Sharjah emirate. The sovereignty of Sharjah over this island was further asserted in 1873 when the ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan fought to defend the island against his Qawasim rivals who ruled Lingeh. Even the rulers of Ras Al-Khaimah had earlier in 1871 denied the Lingeh Qawasmeh entry to the two Tunb islands without official permission. Eventually, the rulers of Lingeh confirmed the sovereignty of Sharjah over Abu Musa and that of Ras Al-Khaimah over the two Tunb islands (Al-Roken, p.141). The Qawasim rulers of Lingeh were closely related to the Persian government and this eventually led to Persian attempts to claim the islands. Nonetheless, Great Britain through the British Government of India asserted the sovereignty of Sharjah and Ras Al-Khaimah, considering the conflict among the Qawasims an internal conflict in which it had no interest (Al-Roken, p.141).
             The independence of the Qawasim of Lingeh was finally terminated in 1887 when Persian troops invaded Lingeh, leading to the occupation of the island of Sirri which then was under their sovereignty. Although the British government protested...