The Seattle Times, May 7, 2005

Dear Reza:

Thanks for this note. I had used the term from the Qatar Airways Web site, without thinking.

We shall run a correction in the newspaper within the next couple of days (and it will then be corrected online also) that reads as follows:

A story about Boeing orders referred to Qatar Airlines as operating from the Arabian Gulf, the geographical name used on the airline's web site. The body of water is more commonly known as the Persian Gulf.

Best,

Dominic Gates

aerospace reporter
The Seattle Times

(206) 464-2963

-----Original Message-----
From: Reza Zakeri [mailto:sahand3707@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2005 7:41 AM
To: Dominic Gates
Cc: Webmaster; Back Issues; Resale; Circ Customer Service; CSSG; Customer Ads
Subject: Seattle Times vs. Persian Gulf !

Dear Dominic Gates,

You have made a mistake in one of your recent stories. You have called "Persian Gulf" as "Arabian Gulf":

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002265083_boeing06.html

Please be aware that United Nations (with 22 Arab members) officially uses Persian Gulf for this waterway. Also all independent organizations and medias call it the "PERSIAN GULF" :

http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/mideastr.pdf
http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/qatar.pdf
http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/iraq.pdf
http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/oman.pdf

Also all Arab scholars until 1960s only used the term "Persian Gulf" in their maps and

documents. Since then some Arab nationalist leaders such as Iraq's Saddam Hussein spent much money to change the name of this body of water to Arabian Gulf which is originally the old name of "Red Sea":

http://www.jpmaps.co.uk/images/24552.jpg

In view of your professional activities, I hope you correct this mistake and use the proper name of the Persian Gulf.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Best wishes,
Reza Zakeri