Pilotguides.com, October 16, 2003

From: Amir Naghshineh-Pour
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 12:26 PM
To: marketing@pilotguides.com; editor@pilotguides.com;
info@pilotguides.com

Dear Sir/Madam @ www.pilotguides.com,

I would like to bring to your attension the incorrect use of the term "Arab Gulf" on your website
http://www.pilotguides.com/destination_guide/middle_east_and_north_afric
a/
instead of the term "Persian Gulf".

The name "Persian Gulf" is the historic and correct name of the body of water between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Names such as the "Gulf" and "A... Gulf" are fabricated and bogus names and are not recognized by any geographical organizations and international norms. The drive for the name change was originally brought up by a British envoy in Bahrain in the 1930's. Then followed by Nasser an Arab/Egyptian nationalist dictator back in the 1960s and then persuaded by Saddam Houssein and some other Arab revisionists who all hated the name "Persian". Since then, unfortunately some Arabs and Western NEWS media have exploited this vision and followed suit for merely political and economic purposes. This matter is exceptionally sensitive to all Iranians/Persians. Furthermore, using those names will jeopardize the integrity and credibility of your organization and website. It is also imperative to know that the intentional or even unintentional use of those made-up words will harm and insult the heritage and culture of the Iranian/Persian people who both practice the Persian culture and speak in Persian. I respectfully urge you to abandon these fabricated names and use the correct name "Persian Gulf". The following are references, which further substantiate my explanation.

The United Nations refers to this body of water as the Persian Gulf.
Please look at the following references.

http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/iran.pdf
http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/maplib/docs/escwa.pdf
http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/qatar.pdf

Furthermore, the U.S. Department of State uses the term "Persian Gulf"
for the waterway to the south of Iran and north of the Arabian Peninsula.
The following are links to the corresponding matter.

http://www.state.gov/p/nea/ci/c2422.htm
http://www.state.gov/p/nea/ci/c2404.htm

Also, the United Nations with 22 Arab member States has on two occasions officially declared the unalterable name of the sea between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula as the Persian Gulf. The first announcement was made through the document UNAD, 311/Qen on March 5, 1971 and the second was UNLA 45.8.2 (C) on August 10, 1984.

The following maps also indicate the internationally recognized name "Persian Gulf" for the aforementioned body of water.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/view/mideastm.html
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/middle_east/iran/iran.htm
http://www.ibrc.bschool.ukans.edu/country_resources/middleE/dw_middlee.h
tm

I am eagerly waiting for your response.

Sincerely and respectfully,

Amir Naghshineh-pour
Persian Gulf Task Force, San Diego Chapter, CA, USA
http://www.persiangulfonline.org