UAE Sheikhs Worry About Thaw in Iran's Ties With Arab Neighbors--NEWS & VIEWS
May 10, 1999 - 0:0
TEHRAN The sheikhs in the United Arab Emirates are voicing concern over the summit of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) which is to start today in Jeddah, according to reports reaching here from the other side of the vital waterway. According to a Reuter's dispatch, Arab leaders meet in Saudi Arabia today amid growing concerns in the United Arab Emirates that some of its key regional allies are getting too close to non-Arab Iran. The PGCC Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Oman has not set an official agenda for the one-day meeting in the Red Sea port of Jeddah. It's but natural that there is no room for controversial issues when a healthy political climate for mutual cooperation and understanding exists in the region, an expert commented.
The UAE President Sheikh Zaid bin Sultan al-Nahayan, acting irrelevantly is expected to remain absent and will not attend the summit. They (leaders of the region) noted that the Jeddah talks will mark the first time that Sheikh Zaid has stayed away from such a high-level gathering of the oil powers. The UAE is irked that closer ties between its key ally, Saudi Arabia, and Iran comes at a time when it is trying to settle its misunderstanding related to the Iranian island of Abu Musa, the analysts said.
It said the summit meeting, which will probably be presided over by Saudi Arabia King Fahd, takes place ahead of President Mohammad Khatami's landmark visit to Saudi Arabia later this month, the highest level trip to the kingdom by an Iranian leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan earlier this month visited Iran and held talks with senior officials, including Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei. Agreements were signed during Sultan's visit to highlight a thawing in relations.
I think these visits between Saudi Arabia and the Iranians are very interesting. I think the UAE believes that some PGCC countries, especially Saudi Arabia, have put a very big question mark on their priorities. Is it to get close to Iran or to each other? This is a major problem, said one analyst. PGCC leaders are not expected to discuss Iran directly in Jeddah, it is believed here.
Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Mubarak al-Khalifa's visit to Iran earlier this month was described by Tehran as one that heralded reduced tensions. The other members of the PGCC did not bow before the pressure of UAE Sheikh and his absence from the summit is a victory of reason, one analyst commented.
The UAE President Sheikh Zaid bin Sultan al-Nahayan, acting irrelevantly is expected to remain absent and will not attend the summit. They (leaders of the region) noted that the Jeddah talks will mark the first time that Sheikh Zaid has stayed away from such a high-level gathering of the oil powers. The UAE is irked that closer ties between its key ally, Saudi Arabia, and Iran comes at a time when it is trying to settle its misunderstanding related to the Iranian island of Abu Musa, the analysts said.
It said the summit meeting, which will probably be presided over by Saudi Arabia King Fahd, takes place ahead of President Mohammad Khatami's landmark visit to Saudi Arabia later this month, the highest level trip to the kingdom by an Iranian leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan earlier this month visited Iran and held talks with senior officials, including Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei. Agreements were signed during Sultan's visit to highlight a thawing in relations.
I think these visits between Saudi Arabia and the Iranians are very interesting. I think the UAE believes that some PGCC countries, especially Saudi Arabia, have put a very big question mark on their priorities. Is it to get close to Iran or to each other? This is a major problem, said one analyst. PGCC leaders are not expected to discuss Iran directly in Jeddah, it is believed here.
Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Mubarak al-Khalifa's visit to Iran earlier this month was described by Tehran as one that heralded reduced tensions. The other members of the PGCC did not bow before the pressure of UAE Sheikh and his absence from the summit is a victory of reason, one analyst commented.