Call for a Consistent, Accurate Reference to the Persian Gulf

We, the undersigned Canadians of Iranian descent and believers in cultural sensitivity, have read your address to the Canadian Forces serving in Afghanistan made on December 30, 2004. Originally there was an inaccurate reference in that speech to an "Arabian Gulf," which was later modified to yet another indistinct name "the Gulf":

http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4344

We are concerned about an inconsistent an inaccurate reference made in that speech to the body of water connecting the Arabian Peninsula with the Iranian Plateau. This body of water has historically and legally been called the Persian Gulf, whereas we originally read the inaccurate term "the Arabian Gulf" and then later "the Gulf" in the above-mentioned speech. We Would like to highlight the following facts regarding this matter:

The United Nations with 22 Arab member states has on two occasions officially affirmed the term the Persian Gulf for this body of water. The first declaration 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 fact sheets on the legal and historical usage of the term Persian Gulf can be found on the following web pages:

http://web.mit.edu/isg/persiangulffactsheet.pdf

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Persian+Gulf

It should be noted that we sign this petition acknowledging and respecting the sovereignty and identity of Iran's Arab neighbors, which share many cultural and religious ties with our homeland.

The Persian Gulf is part of the identity of the people who live in the Iranian Plateau. The people with an Iranian background including Canadians of Iranian origin, while respecting the multicultural Canadian mosaic, cherish their heritage and ancestral identity. In that light, it is very important to be accurate on addresses to the public, and to demonstrate the recognition of the international law regarding this matter. This incidentally is in line with the Governor General's role to promote national identity and unity, as well as Canada's cultural richness and diversity," as stipulated on the Governor General's web site:

http://www.gg.ca/governor_general/role-encour_e.asp

We highly appreciate any efforts made by your excellency to rectify the situation and to clarify to the public that the accurate internationally recognized name for this body of water is the Persian Gulf and any other adjective than "Persian" or absent thereof to modify the Persian Gulf is inaccurate, misrepresentative, and unacceptable