Urgent GCC meeting regarding Emirates - Iran tensions
Gulf-Iran, Politics, 3/3/1999

King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia met on Tuesday in Riyadh with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi. The Iranian FM also met with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, in the presence of Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Nueimi.

Kharazi conveyed a message from Iranian President Muhammad Khatami to the Saudi King. No information was reported on the content of the message.

The Saudi - Iranian talks held on Tuesday concentrated on the Iranian - UAE tensions concerning the three disputed UAE islands and the oil price crisis, from which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are suffering.

On Wednesday the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries holds an extraordinary session in Abu Dhabi to discuss the Iranian violations and the military maneuvers carried out by Iran in the territorial waters of the UAE.

Well-informed diplomatic sources in Riyadh said that the Saudis expressed to the Iranian FM that reaching a just and lasting solution to the dispute over sovereignty over the three Gulf islands, Greater Tanb, Lesser Tanb and Abu Mousa, is but an entrance to establishing full relations between Tehran and each of the GCC member states.

The sources indicated that Saudi Arabia has expressed to Kharazi its regret over the recent Iranian behavior in the opening of a municipality center by the Iranian minister of the interior on Abu Mousa island.

On the other hand, the Abu Dhabi meeting comes in response to the call made by the UAE, the current chairman of the GCC. Diplomatic sources in Abu Dhabi expected the meeting to conclude a more "tough and solid stand in condemning the Iranian military maneuvers in the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates."

Previous Stories:
  UAE hands over a memorandum of protest to the Arab League against Iran   (3/2/1999)
  Iran regrets Arab League statements over Gulf islands   (3/2/1999)
  Iranian maneuvers near Abu Mousa island   (3/1/1999)
  GCC supports UAE over island issue   (2/27/1999)

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