Gulf foreign minister holds Israel responsible for obstructing Middle East peace
The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have denounced Baghdad in their meetings, which concluded on Sunday in Jeddah, and accused it of violating UN resolutions. They also held Israel responsible for obstructing the Middle East peace process.
In their final statement, the GCC foreign ministers tried to be smooth with Tehran, stressing the calm relations with Iran since the "moderate" Iranian president assumed power in 1997.
The GCC ministerial statement also said that,"Despite the fact that nine years have so far elapsed, Iraq is still pursuing a deception policy in implementing basic sides of the UN Security Council's resolutions concerned."
The GCC ministerial council criticized Baghdad's refusal of UN Security Council resolution no. 1284 which opens the way before lifting the sanctions imposed on Iraq if Iraq approves the new UN system in charge of dismantling the Iraqi weapons.
The statement welcomed the UN Security Council resolution 1293, which provides for increasing sums allotted to maintain oil firms in Iraq from US $600 million to US $1.2 billion.
The council also held "Israel's intransigence" responsible for the failure of the Syrian- American summit which was held in Geneva on March 26 in order to resume Syrian- Israeli negotiations.
The statement said, "The failure of the recent Geneva meetings between the US president and the Syrian president has no other explanation but Israel's continued intransigence and its non-abidance to peace process requirements."
The statement expressed hope that "the Islamic republic of Iran will positively respond to" the efforts aiming at finding a solution to the problem of the three Gulf islands controlled by Iran, while the United Arab Emirates calls for their restoration to the UAE.
In July 1999 the GCC established a committee to facilitate dialogue between Abu Dhabi and Tehran. But this committee which includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman has not achieved progress worthy of being mentioned.
The GCC foreign ministers also hoped to conclude shortly an agreement on free trade with the European Union.