IISS 2008 Regional Security Summit Press Coverage
- 14 Dec 2008 - - Zawya - US Wants Gulf States to Impose Curbs on Iran
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Saturday urged the Gulf states to impose tough economic sanctions against Iran, while maintaining that "nobody is after a regime change in Iran."
Gates, who was addressing an international security conference here in the Bahraini capital, added, "what we are after is a change in the policies and a change in behaviour so that Iran becomes a good neighbour of people in the region (rather) than a source of instability and violence. This can be done by exerting both
- 14 Dec 2008 - - Times of Oman - Arab Gulf Cooperation Council states can overcome crisis
The Arab Gulf Cooperation Council states have the means to get over the global economic crisis, but that does not mean they should neglect its effects, said AGCC Secretary-General Abdulrahman Al Attiyah yesterday.
Action was called for by Attiyah, who told reporters at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, that AGCC states need to work unitedly towards a course of action that would limit any negative effects of the downturn.
- 14 Dec 2008 - - Kuwait Times - Iranian foreign minister calls off Paris trip
An Iranian delegation did not show up as expected yesterday at a regional security forum in Bahrain that was addressed by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, organizers said. Kazem Jalali, chairman of the Iranian parliament's foreign affairs committee, was to have delivered a speech to The Manama Dialogue yesterday, the director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said.
- 14 Dec 2008 - - Gulf Daily News - Intelligence key to fighting pirates
Secretary of Defence Robert Gates said only by gathering more information about those responsible for the wave of attacks and hijackings of vessels would coalition forces be able to bring the situation under control.
"The need for increasing maritime security has been highlighted by the recent high-profile acts of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden," he told delegates attending the second day of the Manama Dialogue security conference.
- 14 Dec 2008 - - Gulf Daily News - We Can Stop Extremists
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates urged Middle East nations yesterday to help fight the spread of violent extremism by funding and training Afghan security forces and reaching out more aggressively to the fledgling government in Iraq.
Gates also assured a gathering of Gulf leaders here that President-elect Barack Obama will continue the US commitment to the Middle East, including efforts to fight terrorism and develop a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.
- 14 Dec 2008 - - Gulf Daily News - Nuclear watch
Preventing terrorists from exploiting the nuclear power industry is the biggest challenge facing the Middle East, a top British official said yesterday. Defence Secretary John Hutton said effective international inspection and regulation of the developing sector would be crucial to maintain security and prevent almost certain disaster.
"Energy insecurity is driving an expansion of civil nuclear power right across the world," he said during a session on global security at the Manama Dialogue.