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CAIRO, June 25-- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday ratified a controversial agreement that transfers two largely uninhabited Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. "President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ratified the maritime demarcation agreement between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," the cabinet said in a statement. The deal to hand over Tiran and Sanafir islands was agreed during a visit to Egypt by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud a year ago amid public criticism. On June 14, Egypt's parliament voted to back the deal, saying it has the jurisdiction in the matter, which provoked small protests in several Egyptian cities. However, a legal battle over the islands' status continues with one court annulling the treaty and another upholding it. On Wednesday, the Supreme Constitutional Court annulled those two rulings until it will decide on July 30 which institution has the final say. "Based on the president's ratification, the decree will be enforced after publication in the official gazette," said Salah Fawzy, a constitutional expert. "The agreement is now a law and the two uninhabited islands will be under Saudi sovereignty," Fawzy told Xinhua. Both countries' foreign ministries should exchange the documents of ratification, and then a copy of the agreement will be sent to the office of the UN General Secretary to preserve the international rights, he added. | 
