GCC Countries Welcome Iran-US Negotiations, Call for Addressing Pending Security Issues

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries welcomed on Monday the negotiations between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Holding its 164th Ministerial Council meeting in Kuwait, the GCC underscored its support for the diplomatic efforts sponsored by Oman in the negotiations, stressing that dialogue was the way forward in peacefully resolving disputes and conflicts.

The GCC hoped that the talks would achieve regional and international security and stability.

The council expressed its support for the United Arab Emirates’ sovereignty over its three islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, and over their territorial waters, airspace, continental shelf, and exclusive economic zone.

The areas are an integral part of UAE territory, declared the council.

It called on Iraq to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kuwait and abide by its bilateral and international commitments and agreements, as well as all relevant United Nations resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 833 regarding the demarcation of the Kuwaiti-Iraqi land and maritime borders.

The council called for the completion of the demarcation of the maritime border between the two countries beyond Maritime Marker 162 in accordance with the rules and principles of international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah at the ministerial council meeting in Kuwait. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)

The council also called on the Iraqi government to abide by the Agreement Regulating Maritime Navigation in Khor Abdullah, signed between Kuwait and Iraq on April 29, 2012.

It expressed its “complete rejection of the ruling of the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq in this regard, as well as its rejection of the historical fallacies contained in the ruling's grounds.”

It deemed any unilateral decisions, practices, or actions taken by Iraq related to the Khor Abdullah Agreement null and void.

It also rejected Iraq's unilateral action to cancel the Security Exchange Protocol signed in 2008 and its map adopted in the Joint Plan to Ensure the Safety of Navigation in Khor Abdullah, signed between the two sides on December 28, 2014, which included a clear and specific mechanism for amendment and cancellation.

The council stressed that the entire Durra Field lies within the maritime areas of Kuwait, and that ownership of the natural resources in the submerged divided zone adjacent to the Saudi-Kuwaiti divided zone, including the entire Durra Field, is jointly owned by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

“They alone have full rights to exploit the natural resources in that zone in line with international law and based on the agreements concluded and in force between them,” it added.

The council expressed its “absolute rejection of any claims that any other party has rights in this field or the submerged zone adjacent to the divided zone within its designated borders between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.”

Ties with Iran

Turning to Iran, the council urged the need for Tehran “to respect the fundamental principles based on the United Nations Charter and international law, including the principles of good neighborliness, respect for state sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful resolution of disputes, and the rejection of the use or threat of force, as well as the condemnation of terrorism, extremism, and sectarianism.”

Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani at the ministerial council meeting. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)

The council voiced its concern over developments in the Iranian nuclear file. It emphasized the importance “of swiftly reaching constructive agreements to maintain the security and stability of the region.”

“The GCC is prepared to cooperate and engage effectively on this issue and stressed the need to participate in all regional and international negotiations, discussions, and meetings related to it,” said the council.

“These negotiations should address not only the Iranian nuclear program, but also all security concerns of the member states, including ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, the safety of international navigation, and oil facilities.”

“This approach aims to achieve common goals and interests while respecting state sovereignty, principles of good neighborliness, and adherence to UN resolutions to bolster regional and international security and stability,” stated the council.

Moreover, the council underscored the importance of Iran's commitment not to exceed uranium enrichment levels required for peaceful uses. It highlighted the need for Iran to fulfill all its obligations and fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The council stressed the importance of maintaining maritime security and waterways in the region, and confronting activities that threaten the security and stability of the region and the world, including targeting commercial vessels, threatening maritime shipping lanes, international trade, and oil facilities in the GCC countries.

French Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Patrick Maisonnave said Paris believes that military intervention will not resolve the “problem” over Iran’s nuclear program.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said such a solution was “ineffective” because it cannot completely eliminate Iran’s nuclear knowledge or ensure the complete destruction of all of its nuclear facilities.

Moreover, he warned against attempts to change the Iranian regime from the outside, saying it may have dire consequences, such as the collapse of the state, civil war, instability, regional conflicts, migration crises and raise terrorism threat levels.

This instability may also impact the security of the Gulf region and extend to Europe as well, he warned.

Damage to Iran’s nuclear sites may lead to dangerous radiation in the region that may spread to other regions, including Gulf waters, he went on to say.

Furthermore, military intervention will pose major dangers to regional stability, the security of France’s partners and allies in the region, and the Hormuz Strait. It may lead to attacks on American military bases and energy infrastructure, warned Maisonnave.

A diplomatic solution is the best way forward, he stressed, explaining that it will lead to a viable and permanent solution that enjoys international backing. This solution must tackle technical issues, such as enrichment levels. It also averts the grave consequences of military escalation.

A diplomatic solution must ensure that International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors are allowed to tour nuclear facilities at any time and without prior notice, he added.

This is the path that France chose in the past and that it believes is the best way to reach a permanent and peaceful solution, he stressed.

At the same time, the ambassador acknowledged that the Iranian nuclear program was a dangerous threat to French and European security interests, as well as to countries of the Gulf given its potential to destabilize the region and the “security of our allies”.

This concern deepened after IAEA inspectors were for years unable to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program, he remarked.

France and European countries are very concerned that the program was not designed with purely civilian purposes, Maisonnave said.

GCC Countries Welcome Iran-US Negotiations, Call for Addressing Pending Security Issues