Gulf countries yesterday loudly signalled their opposition to any military option against Iran."We want the military factor to be eliminated," GCC Secretary-General Abdulrahman Al Attiyah told the Manama Dialogue security conference.
"What we care for in the GCC is finding solutions that enhance security and stability ... and believe in dialogue as a way to solve the crisis," he said.
MANAMA: Gulf countries yesterday loudly signalled their opposition to any military option against Iran."We want the military factor to be eliminated," GCC Secretary-General Abdulrahman Al Attiyah told the Manama Dialogue security conference.
"What we care for in the GCC is finding solutions that enhance security and stability ... and believe in dialogue as a way to solve the crisis," he said.
Gulf countries, cautious about the nuclear standoff, do not want to see it escalating into a military confrontation.
Qatar's Prime Minister Shaikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani went further, calling on Washington to engage Tehran in dialogue to reach a solution. "Direct talks do not mean agreeing (from the start) with the other party," he told delegates, among them US Defence Secretary Robert Gates.
Gulf countries also challenged Gates on American policies toward Israel, after he called on them to band together to force Tehran to stop uranium enrichment. He was challenged by Labour Minister Dr Majeed Al Alawi, who wanted to know whether Gates thought, "the Zionist (Israeli) nuclear weapon is a threat to the region".
In his speech, Gates reiterated Washington's view that Iran's foreign policy was a threat to the US, the Middle East and all countries within range of missiles which he said Tehran was developing. He stressed the partnership between Bahrain and the US is one of complete commitment toward achieving peace and security in the Gulf.
