I write this week from Washington, where the first ever GCC-US summit was held on May 13-14. The first day was spent at the White House, where President Barack Obama hosted a working dinner for GCC visitors, focusing on the general issue of US commitment to Gulf security.
The next day — spent at the presidential retreat Camp David — focused in detail on particular issues, such as terrorism, regional conflicts and Iran’s destabilizing activities. The overarching theme, however, remained the same: How to bolster the region’s security through US-GCC collective efforts.
The meetings succeeded beyond expectations; it allayed concerns that had been voiced in the region about the nuclear deal with Iran, US commitment to the region’s security, and the overall GCC-US relationship. The summit then went a step further; the two sides agreed to elevate their relationship to a “strategic partnership,” the parameters of which were spelled out in some detail in the two documents adopted by the leaders.
Although media focus has been on Iran’s nuclear program, the meeting was more about the GCC-US relationship in light of the turbulence our region has witnessed for several years.
The idea for the summit started nearly a year ago. Over the past few months, several ministerial meetings took place between GCC foreign ministers and US Secretary of State John Kerry, as well as between other senior officials from both sides. Thorough preparations account for the depth and breadth of the documents adopted at the summit.
The US side was keen to explain the nuclear deal being negotiated between P5+1 and Iran. Because the technical details of the deal had been covered in meetings held between the GCC and US before the summit, the deal was discussed in more general terms at Camp David.
The US side acknowledges that there are still gaps in the framework agreement and reiterated their position that they are ready to walk away from the negotiations if those gaps were not settled to their satisfaction.
At the end, the GCC side gave a qualified endorsement. In the words of the joint statement, the two sides “emphasized that a comprehensive, verifiable deal that fully addresses the regional and international concerns about Iran’s nuclear program is in the security interests of GCC member states as well as the United States and the international community.”
On the fundamental issue of US commitment to the region’s security, the GCC side went into the summit with some misgivings, but came out reassured. President Obama went beyond what previous presidents committed, by spelling out the kinds of things he is prepared to do, by stating that the US shares with its GCC partners a deep interest in a region that is peaceful and prosperous, and a vital interest in supporting the political independence and territorial integrity, safe from external aggression, of Washington’s GCC partners. The US side added that its policy to use all elements of power to secure our core interests in the Gulf region, and to deter and confront external aggression against GCC states is unequivocal.
The United States made it clear that the nuclear deal, if it goes through, is not part of a “grand bargain” whereby the US would tolerate Iran’s attempts to destabilize the region and establish itself as a hegemon. The US said quite clearly that it opposed and will work together with the GCC to counter Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region. It stressed the need for Iran to take “concrete, practical steps” to build trust and resolve its differences with neighbors by peaceful means.
At Camp David, the leaders discussed how to intensify their cooperation to defeat terrorism, epitomized by the self-ascribed Islamic State (IS), and established a set of principles to address regional conflicts including Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya. Those principles include a shared recognition that there is no military solution to the regions’ armed civil conflicts, which can only be resolved through political and peaceful means; respect for all states’ sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs; and the need for inclusive governance as well as protection of all minorities and of human rights in conflict-ridden societies.
The annex to the joint statement is a more detailed description of what US commitment to the GCC security means in practice. To ensure continuity of those efforts, and speedy implementation of decisions expressed, the US and GCC directed their respective administrations to strengthen the framework of the US-GCC Strategic Cooperation Forum, to include more frequent ministerial and technical meetings for foreign affairs, defense, security, economic and other areas relevant to the forum’s activities. They also agreed to meet again at summit level in 2016, “in order to advance and build upon the US-GCC Strategic Partnership announced today.”
