JEDDAH, 4 June 2006 — GCC countries yesterday urged Iran to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and backed global efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the standoff between Tehran and Western countries on its nuclear program.
“The Gulf Cooperation Council countries are deeply worried about the developments in Iran’s nuclear program,” said UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah ibn Zayed Al-Nahayan while opening a meeting of GCC foreign ministers in Riyadh.
He said the six-member group was also worried about potential radioactive leakages from Iranian nuclear plants, which could cause an enormous ecological catastrophe and pollute Gulf waters.
“We call upon Iran to cooperate fully with the IAEA and provide more assurances and guarantees (on its nuclear program),” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the UAE minister as saying. The United Arab Emirates currently holds the group’s rotating presidency.
The minister also urged the international community to settle the row with Iran diplomatically in order to avoid further tension and instability in the Gulf region, the world’s largest producer and supplier of much needed oil, gas and petrochemicals.
Abdullah reiterated the GCC’s call to make the Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction. He also emphasized Abu Dhabi’s claim on the three islands — Lesser and Greater Tunbs and Abu Moussa — that are occupied by Iran.
In his keynote address, Abdullah said the GCC ministerial council meeting would discuss a number of economic, political, security and environmental issues that required greater coordination and cooperation among the member countries. He also reaffirmed the GCC’s resolve to combat terrorism.
Referring to the GCC-EU conference, which was held in Brussels recently, he said it would contribute to expediting the signing of a free trade agreement between the two groups.
