GCC
calls on Tehran to enforce stability, security in Gulf
region
Arab Times-Kuwait
28th
Nov 2005
DOHA (KUNA): A conference on Nato and the Greater Middle
East wrapped up deliberations here on Sunday focusing on
regional security issues, in addition to the role of Nato in
enhancing security in the Gulf region. The final session of
the conference focused on the Gulf-Iranian relations, with
speakers demanding that Tehran works on enforcing stability
in the region. Abdulrahman Al-Attiyah, Secretary-General of
the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), told the conferees the
issue of Iran and the Gulf was a current priority because it
was directly linked to regional security. He called on both
sides to think about practical measures to realizing
security without interference in internal affairs of each
others. But Al-Attiyah pointed out there were political
problems between Iran and the GCC, foremost Tehran’s
occupation of three islands of the United Arab Emirates
(UAE), a GCC member, and Iran’s rejection to any settlement
proposed by the UAE.
Iran, he added, was not responding to the GCC calls to solve
the occupation issue peacefully. Al-Attiyah asserted the
nuclear weapons in the region would trigger an unjustified
nuclear race thus undermine mutual confidence. The GCC and
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato), said
Al-Attiyah, were sharing the same concerns in the Gulf
region. The GCC chief called on Iran to help the political
process in Iraq, voicing concern on Iran’s regional
ambitions. Meanwhile, First Deputy Premier and Interior
Minister Sheikh Nawwaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah returned
to Kuwait after chairing his country’s delegation to the
24th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Interior
ministers in Bahrain. Speaking to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)
upon arrival, Sheikh Nawaf lauded the meeting’s outcome that
reached a number of important resolutions regarding joint
cooperation and coordination in facing matters arising from
Iraq’s situation and their affect on the region.
While noting that the future holds a great amount of
development when it comes to this issue, he added that the
meeting’s agenda covered all aspects of security
cooperation, facilitating travels of GCC citizens between
the GCC states, extraditing convicts and using the
smart-card in place of passports when traveling within the
GCC. Sheikh Nawaf expressed heartfelt gratitude and
appreciation to the meeting’s participants, especially
Bahrain’s Interior Minister Lieutenant-General Sheikh Rashed
bin Abdullah Al Khalifa. Upon arrival, Sheikh Nawaf was
received by Amiri Diwan Affairs Minister Sheikh Nasser
Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Interior Ministry’s
Undersecretary Lieutenant-General Nasser Al-Othman and other
officials. |