Meeting of the gulf ministers fails to reach a settlement to Iraq's issue

The foreign ministers of the six Gulf Cooperation Council states -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- concluded meetings yesterday aimed at reaching a joint vision toward the status of Iraq.

A gulf source who participated in the meetings, told ArabicNews.com that Saudi Arabia proposed a step aimed at easing the sanctions imposed on Iraq, a plan in which an embargo would remain on weapons purchases but Iraq would be allowed to sell petroleum and other goods without restrictions in order to ease the effects of the sanctions on the Iraqi people.

The aim of the meeting was to finalize an agreement before the meeting of the Arab foreign ministers convenes on January 24.

The sources added that "The Saudi proposal was rejected by Kuwait while it was approved by Qatar and Emirates."