Qatar's Prime Minister yesterday admitted Iraq's GCC neighbours could be doing more to help stabilise the troubled nation.In a question and answer session held after delivering an address on the role of economic development in assisting regional security, Shaikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani said members of the six-nation bloc should step up efforts to make investments in Iraq.
"I will be very frank - I don't think the GCC is doing enough in Iraq. I think we need to do more and be involved more in the Iraqi issue. Since Iraq is a very close neighbour to the GCC, any problem in Iraq will affect our region very quickly," he told delegates at the IISS Manama Dialogue.
By MARK SUMMERS
Qatar's Prime Minister yesterday admitted Iraq's GCC neighbours could be doing more to help stabilise the troubled nation.In a question and answer session held after delivering an address on the role of economic development in assisting regional security, Shaikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani said members of the six-nation bloc should step up efforts to make investments in Iraq.
"I will be very frank - I don't think the GCC is doing enough in Iraq. I think we need to do more and be involved more in the Iraqi issue. Since Iraq is a very close neighbour to the GCC, any problem in Iraq will affect our region very quickly," he told delegates at the IISS Manama Dialogue.
The Qatari Premier also called on the US to engage in direct dialogue with Iran to try and resolve the stand-off over the latter's uranium enrichment programme.
"My opinion is they should have direct talks and direct dialogue. I always think if there is a mediator something is lost in the middle. We as Arabs went to US a few days ago to make a dialogue with the Israelis - so why doesn't the US have dialogue with Iran? I think that's the only way to at least understand each other," he said.
He told delegates he believed Qatar and its GCC neighbours should begin a concerted effort to help rebuild Iraq's shattered economy.
"I think all of us should consider a special programme for investment in Iraq. This programme would have to be agreed with the Iraqi government and with our allies in the region.
"Part of the problem in Iraq is to find jobs for the people - it stops them from going the other way. Afghanistan was fairly far from our region but we see the effects in and beyond our region of what happened when Afghanistan became a school for terrorism."
However, in what appeared to be a warning to Iraq's government that Qatar was not convinced the different religious groups in the country were being treated equally, he said his country would be looking for changes before making large investments in Iraq.
