GCC leaders send positive signal to Iran
Gulf-Iran, Politics, 12/23/1997

Concluding three-days of meetings of its 18th session in Kuwait, the leaders of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman and Bahrain issued statements regarding several regional issues.

They expressed concern over the situation in northern Iraq, referring to the "Turkish incursion", stressing their firm stand in support of Iraqi unity and territorial integrity.

The GCC leaders added that in view of recent positive statements made by Iran to open a new page, after relations have been marked by years of mistrust and tension, they hoped that "the next period will witness a practical and positive development to build mutual trust."

The GCC leaders welcomed a proposal made by the presidents of Iran and the UAE to meet and try to resolve the dispute over the three Gulf islands, being the major obstacle to ending years of mistrust between Iran and the Arab Gulf states.

The GCC called upon the Israeli government to resume negotiations on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks and to withdraw from the Syrian Golan and south Lebanon.

The GCC called on Israel to honor accords signed with the Palestinians and voiced "absolute rejection" of aggressive Israeli policies which have led to a "dangerous delay" in the peace process.

The six GCC member states called upon the US administration and Russia to intensify their role to resume negotiations on all tracks and reiterated a call for an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. And in this respect, the summit praised the efforts made by Europe on behalf of the peace process.

The GCC summit expressed concern over "regional programs" to develop weapons of mass destruction and called on Israel to open all its nuclear sites for international inspection.

Previous Stories:
  GCC summit: focus on security, relations with Iran   (12/22/1997)
  GCC for ME peace process promotion   (12/19/1997)
  Yemeni president visits Oman today   (12/15/1997)

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