The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt are taking their sovereign airspace dispute with Qatar to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a report said.

The four GCC states, which cut off ties with Qatar more than a year ago, said the complaint submission was on the grounds that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) was "not competent" to consider the dispute, after it surveyed two requests by Qatar - activation of the Chicago Convention and termination of airspace closure by the four countries on Qatari aircraft, a report in WAM said.
 
"This action by the four countries to submit the case to the International Court of Justice comes in view of the decision of the ICAO Council to grant Qatar the opportunity to hear its demands, which did not include the support of these demands or to call upon the four countries to take any action," the report said citing a statement from the quartet.

"The four States decided to object to this decision because they believe that the Organisation has fully exercised its technical competence through the cooperation of the four states with the organisation's Regional Office in Cairo in developing international alternative airlines for Qatari aircraft in international airspace, taking into account the highest standards of air safety and security," it said.

In the view of the four countries, the crux of the issue is that Qatar is constantly and severely violating all the sovereign rights of the four countries, including interference in its internal affairs and supporting terrorism, making this conflict primarily a security policy.

"The acceptance by the organisation's council of the study of the Qatari's claims is therefore illegal as it departs from the technical competence of the Organisation," the four GCC countries argued.

The four States will object to the ICAO decision by appealing to the International Court of Justice under the two above-mentioned agreements.

Until the judgment of the International Court of Justice has been issued, ICAO will cease to consider the Qatari claims, the report said.