UAE | General
Iran tops GCC ministerial agenda
Talks crucial due to Tehran's recent activity on the UAE island, strategists say.
- By Duraid Al Baik, Associate Editor
- Published: 23:43 August 26, 2008
Dubai: The occupation of three UAE islands by Iran and the implications of the recent international confrontation between Russia and the US over the security in the region will top the agenda of the GCC ministerial council meeting to be held in Jeddah next Tuesday, according to an official statement issued by the GCC secretariat.
This will be the 108th meeting since he GCC was formed in 1980 and will be especially crucial due to Iran's recent activity on UAE island of Abu Mousa, strategists told Gulf News.
Iran would be committing a huge mistake if it keeps ignoring the call by the GCC for a peaceful end to the conflict, according to Dr. Mohammad Al Naqbi, Director of the Gulf Negotiations Centre in the UAE.
Riad Kahwaji, Director General of the Institute of Near Easat and Gulf Military Analysis, said the GCC show of solidarity with the UAE is very important at this stage.
He added that the conflict in Georgia has given Iran a break from the limelight surrounding its nuclear programme and encouraged it to continue its illegal activities on the islands.
Uncomfortable situation
"This will put the GCC in an uncomfortable situation and will force them to seek their own solution, instead of relying on the West for support," Kahwaji said.
Because of major defence procurement programmes in the region, the region is at high risk if there is further escalation in the conflict, Kahwaji explained.
"The least the GCC can hope to achieve is to form a united deterrence force against the Iranian threat," he added.
Kahwaji encouraged extensive dialogues between the GCC and Iran, which he said would strengthen more moderate forces in Tehran.
He said the only way to deal with the current situation in the Gulf is to adopt an extensive dialogues policy with Iran as this would strengthen moderate forces in Tehran.
Kahwaji warned that Iran should not feel too comfortable because of the Georgian conflict. This is because the current rift between Russia and the West is not guaranteed to last, he added.
"The ministerial council to be held next week will call on Iran to accept the international arbitration over the islands," Al Naqbi confirmed.
The GCC has been calling on Iran to accept arbitration for over 10 years but have received no definitive response from Iran.
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