ALL countries in the Gulf need to stand together to fight terror because it knows no borders, security officials stressed at a meeting in Bahrain last night.
International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) director Dr John Chipman said that GCC security co-operation was not enough - Yemen, Iraq and Iran also needed to be involved.
"Co-operation between these nine countries is key to security in the region," he added.
Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said that terrorism knows no borders and that a security issue in one country could easily spill over into another.
"We need to stand together and relentlessly pursue terrorism," he said.
No one is safe from it no matter what their nationality, faith or background."
Shaikh Khalid said that it is vital that all countries in the region co-operate to help Iraq keep a lid on its security situation.
"Iraq's security is our security," he added.
They were speaking at the opening of the three-day Gulf Dialogue at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa.
Taking part in the three-day strategic defence conference are government officials at the ministerial level, including defence, interior and national security advisors, as well as scholars and academicians.
In addition to the GCC countries, the countries taking part are Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Singapore, France, Russia, the UK and the US. Joining them for the first time this year are China, India and Germany, according to sources.
Studies of regional security issues will be presented to decision-makers to give them more information on which to base their decisions.
The event is organised by the IISS and supported by the Bahrain government.
Also speaking at the opening was Iraqi vice-president Shaikh Ghazi Ali Yawar who said he hoped that the elections due in Iraq later this month would put in office officials who would help to solve Iraq's many pressing problems.
He said that Iraq's security issues involve many factors, including people who lost their livelihoods as a result of former president Saddam Hussain's fall and terrorists who come across the borders.
"In fact, most of the suicide attacks were not carried out by Iraqis but by people from other countries," Shaikh Ghazi noted
