Doha: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on Gulf leaders yesterday for the creation of an integrated economic bloc and a collective security arrangement but shunned a much awaited speech on Iran's nuclear programme.
Addressing the inaugural session of the annual summit of the leaders of the six- member Gulf Cooperation Council here, Ahmadinejad listed an 11-point blueprint aimed to revamp ties between the GCC and Iran in several areas of cooperation, mainly in the economic and security fields, inviting the six leaders to Tehran to further discuss ways of implementation of his programme.
Nevertheless, against all expectations, he did not touch on the three issues of major concern to the GCC, namely the nuclear programme, the Iranian role in Iraq and the dispute with the UAE over the three islands, analysts said.
"Our closeness and our common historic, social and cultural background prompt us to naturally strengthen our relations and to enhance cooperation for the benefit of our peoples," Ahmadinejad told the six leaders, after the Emir of Qatar, Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, invited him to address the gathering.
The Iranian president, who did not refer to the GCC as such but to the seven countries, as if already referring to a seven-country council, proposed the creation of a joint economic council in the industrial, energy and agricultural sectors.
He called for common investments in the oil and gas fields, for the establishment of a free trade zone between the two parties and for cancelling the entry visa requirements for the citizens of the seven states.
In the first ever participation of an Iranian president in the Gulf summit, Ahmadinejad also said Iran was ready to enhance cooperation in the commercial, tourism, cultural, scientific and technological fields and said Tehran was ready to offer the GCC a free corridor from the North to South for the transportation of goods across its territory. Along the list of 11 points he also referred to the "creation of a collective security arrangement with the GCC and collective security measures", but he did not elaborate further.
Commenting on the speech, Prof Abdullah Al Shayji, political analyst and international relations expert at Kuwait University, said confidence-building measures must come first and before any collaboration on economic or security issues with Iran.
Comment: settle isles' row - Dahi
Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Chief of Dubai Police, while commenting on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's proposal on having a joint Gulf security council said it requires two things: settling the UAE-Iran conflict on the three islands and Iran closing its nuclear file peacefully.
- Alia Al Theeb, Staff Reporter
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