US wants an Arab Gulf anti-missile defense system against Iraq and Iran
Gulf-USA, Politics, 10/14/1998

US Defense Secretary William Cohen is leaving today Saudi Arabia after a one day visit as he concludes a tour to the Arab Gulf states.

Cohen met with King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz and Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz on the situation in the Gulf region, bilateral and regional issues and an anti-missile missile system.

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Sultan when asked his opinion concerning establishing the anti-missile defense system in the Gulf said, "All we are concerned about is deploying peace missiles in the area and not the destructive ones."

At press conferences on Saturday in Bahrain and Qatar, Cohen discussed the regional missile defense system, saying that his Bahrain visit included "general discussions about the need to share information and possibly technology in the field of missile defense."

He added, "If you look at what has been taking place in terms of the technology and the development and proliferation of missile technology. Iran recently tested the Shehab-3 because it has a longer range than it had previously. Other countries are developing longer-range missiles. They are also developing warheads that could contain chemical or biological elements as well as nuclear. Under those circumstances, I think it becomes imperative that countries cooperate and develop a theater missile protection system for their people and for their forces."

Cohen emphasized that in light of the fact that US forces are widely deployed around the world, the US wishes to provide the maximum amount of protection for its troops against missile attacks. "It will be up to each individual country to decide whether they wish to either participate and share in that kind of development of technology or acquisition of that technology," he said.

It was not made clear if the Gulf missile defense system will be the same or seperate in terms of technology, coordination, and funding from the US-Israeli Arrow system being developed with US funding in Israel. The US is currently supporting an anti-missile defense system being developed by Israel Aircraft Industries. In May US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said, "We fully recognize the dangers to Israel of weapons of mass destruction from its enemies in the regions dramatized by Iraq's Scud attacks in 1991. The Administration has worked closely with Israel to address possible missile threats and will continue to do so. Since 1988, the U.S. has jointly funded the Arrow missile defense system; provided Israel with space-based early warning notification of ballistic missile launches, and jointly funded a feasibility study of the Israeli Boost Phase Intercept Concept."

Israel's Arrow system is near being operational according to the Israeli Haaretz daily, but the system is short on funding. The daily reported in Spetember that Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai "said that Israel is building a long-term solution to the threat of ballistic missiles from Arab countries in the form of the Arrow anti-missile missile. The Arrow, he said, will eventually provide protection against both Scuds and the Iranian missles. However, he warned, even after the Arrow is operational, there is no way to seal the skies hermetically against attack. "

Haaretz added that according to the Israeli Defense Ministry, "If everything goes according to plan, the Arrow will be partially operational only at the end of 1999. At this stage, the missile will already provide interception capabilities, but only in 2005 will it be fully operational... Development might be speeded up, Mordechai added, but only if more money is allocated to the project." The report added that Mordechai had ordered that work on a system to operate the Arrow be done simultaneously with the missile itself in order to save time.

Israel has not said to what extent it is sharing development of the Arrow system with Turkey. The US, the main supporter of system denied any knowledge of such cooperation with the US Pentagon spokesperson having said, "I don't believe we've received any information from either Turkey or Israel that that's the case (of cooperation). Our arrangement with Israel is that they would have to request permission from us in order to engage in a joint program with another country. They have not sought such permission. I think that we've made it clear in the past, though, to both Turkey and Israel that we encourage strategic cooperation and that theater missile defense might be one area in which they would cooperate, but we have no evidence that they are."

Meanwhile, asked at an October 10th press conference in Doha, Qatar about the US approach to Iraq and Iran, Cohen said, "With respect to dual containment, we intend to continue that policy. We believe it's important that weapons of mass destruction not continue to spread as they have been spreading. We think that the sanctions have been responsible for curtailing Saddam's effort to build a nuclear, chemical, and biological weaponry capability; and that the same is true as for Iran. We have been encouraged somewhat by the changes that the Khatami government has made. But I must say that his moderation and the moderation that he reflects as far as the changes taking place in Iranian society have not yet been translated into changes in foreign policy."

He indicated that the US would be willing to enter into official talks with the Iranian government under three conditions: "number one, that they stop trying to undermine the Middle East peace process; that they stop supporting terrorists and terrorism; and -- the third point -- that they stop trying to obtain weapons of mass destruction."

Cohen also reiterated the US call for complete Iraqi adherence to UN resolutions, "It has become very clear that Saddam Hussein has refused to fully comply with the Memorandum of Understanding that was negotiated by Secretary General Kofi Annan last February. And Saddam has refused, for example, to allow full, unfettered inspections. He has not complied with the Security Council resolutions, and that's why the Secretary General and the Security Council members have indicated unanimously that he is not in compliance, and therefore there can be no comprehensive review of the sanctions."

Previous Stories:
  US secretary of defense on Gulf tour to focus on Iran   (10/8/1998)
  Son of Saudi crown prince visits Iran   (8/5/1998)
  The coming war between Iraq and Iran   (2/17/1998)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search