This article examines some of the issues relating to maritime boundaries which have arisen among the Arab states of the Middle East and between those states and their non-Arab neighbours. Geographically, the bodies of water concerned are the Persian Gulf, the eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The presence of significant deposits of oil and gas (or the possible presence thereof) and the impact of this phenomenon on competing claims to particular areas of sea - and hence assertions about where maritime boundaries should lie - is considered. So too is the impact of existing disagreements between neighbouring states over other matters. The relationship of maritime boundaries to navigation through the region's two main straits (Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab) is briefly examined.

中文翻译：

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中东的海上边界

本文探讨了一些与中东阿拉伯国家之间以及这些国家与其非阿拉伯邻国之间出现的海洋边界相关的问题。在地理上，有关水域是波斯湾、地中海东部和红海。大量石油和天然气的存在（或可能存在）以及这种现象对特定海域的竞争性主张的影响——以及因此关于海上边界应该位于何处的断言——都被考虑在内。邻国之间现有分歧对其他问题的影响也是如此。简要研究了海上边界与通过该地区两个主要海峡（霍尔木兹海峡和曼德海峡）的航行之间的关系。