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Top Saudi, US Officials Get Manama Dialogue Conference Underway

Dignitaries at the IISS Manama Dialogue conference. (BNA)
Dignitaries at the IISS Manama Dialogue conference. (BNA)
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Top Saudi, US Officials Get Manama Dialogue Conference Underway

Dignitaries at the IISS Manama Dialogue conference. (BNA)
Dignitaries at the IISS Manama Dialogue conference. (BNA)

The 14th annual International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Manama Dialogue conference got underway in the Bahraini capital on Friday with side meetings focusing on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s call for establishing a prosperous Middle East.

Sponsored by Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the event is attended by senior officials, including Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Italian Defense Minister Elisabetta Trenta and German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen.

They are set to discuss the Arab Gulf and Middle East in wake of the turbulence and instability in the region.

Addressing the dignitaries, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi said that the Manama Dialogue is an important platform for dialogue on the future of the region. He also underlined the need to continue the fight against terrorism.

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa stated that the forum is an opportunity for senior officials to exchange ideas about regional issues. It is also an opportunity to bolster international cooperation and collective work to confront the dangers threatening the international community.

The forum was kicked off by a televised session that included Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit and former CIA chief David Petraeus.

Commenting on Syria, Abul Gheit said that the war there was nearing its end.

He also stressed that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict remains the source of crises in the Middle East. These problems will not be resolved without the establishment of a Palestinian state according to the 1967 borders and whose capital is East Jerusalem.

He also noted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s surprise visit to Oman on Friday where he held talks with Sultan Qaboos on the Middle East peace process.

Petraeus described the meeting as significant. He also said that the US administration was “serious” in dealing with Iran, ruling out, however, the eruption of a military confrontation as tensions between Washington and Tehran still simmer.

The official proceedings of the Manama Dialogue will kick off on Saturday with attention focusing on security affairs. They will tackle threats to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, cyber threats and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Middle East.

On the political level, the US foreign policy in the Middle East will top discussions. The role of the European Union and the regional geopolitical changes will also be addressed.

The IISS Manama Dialogue provides a vital forum for some of the most powerful policymakers from the Middle East and beyond to find ways to address the region's most pressing challenges.

The Dialogue provides opportunities for government leaders to engage directly with the leading experts in the region, and facilitates private bilateral and multilateral meetings between participating states.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a world-leading authority on global security, political risk and military conflict. Founded in 1958, the IISS promotes the development of sound policies that further global peace and security and maintain civilized international relations.

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Gulf

Makkah Entry Permit Requirement Comes into Effect for Residents

Police return violators and vehicles at security checkpoints leading to Makkah. (SPA)
Police return violators and vehicles at security checkpoints leading to Makkah. (SPA)
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Makkah Entry Permit Requirement Comes into Effect for Residents

Police return violators and vehicles at security checkpoints leading to Makkah. (SPA)
Police return violators and vehicles at security checkpoints leading to Makkah. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Public Security announced that the Hajj regulations and entry procedures for Makkah took effect on Monday, April 13, requiring residents wishing to enter the city to obtain permits from the relevant authorities. Residents without valid entry permits will be denied access to Makkah.

Public Security stated that the measures apply to residents who do not possess a permit issued by the relevant authorities to work in the Holy Sites, a Makkah-issued residency ID, or a valid Hajj permit.

It added that entry permits for residents working during the Hajj season are issued electronically via the Absher Individuals platform and the Muqeem portal, through technical integration with the unified digital platform for issuing Hajj permits, “Tasreeh.”

Gulf

Gulf Observers Outline Views on US Iran Talks, 14-Day Truce

A security officer stands in front of a sign for the Islamabad talks outside a media center set up to cover negotiations between the United States and Iran (AP)
A security officer stands in front of a sign for the Islamabad talks outside a media center set up to cover negotiations between the United States and Iran (AP)
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Gulf Observers Outline Views on US Iran Talks, 14-Day Truce

A security officer stands in front of a sign for the Islamabad talks outside a media center set up to cover negotiations between the United States and Iran (AP)
A security officer stands in front of a sign for the Islamabad talks outside a media center set up to cover negotiations between the United States and Iran (AP)

As a 14-day truce announced by the United States and Iran, brokered by Pakistan on April 8, continues to hold, and just hours after the end of the US Iran “Islamabad talks” without an agreement, Gulf states are closely watching how the situation will evolve during the temporary ceasefire period.

Three Gulf observers shared their views in response to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat on how Gulf countries see the US-Iran negotiations and their options depending on whether a deal is reached. They broadly agreed on the importance of taking Gulf concerns into account in any negotiations.

Former Kuwaiti information minister Saad bin Tefla al-Ajmi said Gulf states are primarily concerned with two key issues, peace and stability. He stressed that under no circumstances should any Gulf country become party to negotiations over freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz or support such talks, as this would amount to negotiating an established principle of international law.

Calls to assess all possible scenarios

Al-Ajmi stressed that freedom of navigation in international straits such as Hormuz, Gibraltar and Bab al-Mandab is governed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and should not be turned into a subject of political bargaining, as this would contradict the principle of freedom of the seas.

As for options if no agreement is reached, he said this would depend on the positions of the two sides, Iran and the United States. Gulf countries, he remarked, opposed the war from the outset but are now “required to assess all possible scenarios following the outbreak of war and exposure to Iranian attacks.”

He questioned whether Washington would continue granting Tehran additional deadlines or move toward resuming hostilities. In any case, he noted that Gulf states must be prepared for all scenarios, including the possibility of renewed conflict.

Political analyst Moneef Ammash al-Harbi said Gulf states view the US-Iran negotiations positively, based on their belief that military solutions do not lead to lasting settlements. He added that Gulf countries had sought, before February 28, to steer the region away from a military path and its consequences.

No flawed deal

Al-Harbi underlined that Gulf states do not want a flawed agreement similar to the 2015 deal, which he said does not prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons but merely delays it within a limited timeframe.

He outlined four Gulf requirements for any lasting agreement. These include preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons to avoid a regional arms race, addressing the ballistic missile issue in terms of range and capabilities, curbing Iran’s destabilizing regional role and ending support for militias, and ensuring Iran respects freedom of navigation in the Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab without using direct or indirect means to disrupt it.

He warned that if no agreement is reached, Gulf states would keep all options open, including military action, particularly if Iranian attacks on Gulf countries continue.

Abdullah al-Junaid said Gulf influence was reflected in the ceasefire decision and in the choice of Pakistan as mediator. However, he noted that Gulf states “have not put forward a unified framework representing a minimum consensus on post crisis Gulf Iran relations and the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Al-Junaid also noted that the US Navy is currently clearing the Strait of Hormuz to secure navigation, describing this as unrelated to the halted war. He said Gulf naval forces should join the effort, as it would send political as well as security signals.

“That is the diplomacy that should be pursued now, rather than relying solely on traditional approaches,” he remarked.

Gulf

Saudi King Approves Awarding Medals to 200 Organ Donors

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
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Saudi King Approves Awarding Medals to 200 Organ Donors

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has approved awarding the King Abdulaziz Medal (Third Class) to 200 Saudi citizens in recognition of their major organ donations, whether as living donors or following brain death, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.