US urges Gulf states to undertake economic reforms, and to approach Israel

US Secretary of Commerce William Daley yesterday urged the Gulf states to make economic reforms, saying that the private sector could make an approach with Israel. He told UAE businessmen in Abu Dhabi, "We should benefit from this stage" to implement what he called "difficult choices," because if petroleum prices stagnated it would be difficult to start the necessary economic reforms, adding that regional trade will take place through the private sector describing the role begun by the private sector in the Gulf states as important.