(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) In what appeared to be a prelude to US President Barack Obama's meetings with GCC rulers next month, the UAE's Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan paid a visit to the White House on Monday, and joined the president and senior cabinet officials for a working lunch in a closed-door setting.
A readout provided by the Obama Administration indicated that the two leaders discussed ways in which to "deepen cooperation" between their countries, as well as between the US and the Gulf, which includes strengthening defense and national security ties with the UAE. Counterterrorism and the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Qaeda were also on the agenda, the White House affirmed.
Obama and the Crown Prince further discussed "regional challenges, including the ongoing conflicts in Yemen, Libya, Iraq and Syria; and efforts to reach a long-term, comprehensive deal between the P5+1 and Iran to ensure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon," the readout said.
Those challenges are expected to dominate the summit's agenda on May 13 and 14, when Gulf leaders embark on Washington to hear the Obama Administration "say whatever they need to say" to give assurances that the Iran nuclear framework is "a good deal," and that the easing of US sanctions will be gradual and conditional, a security consultant specialized in the region's affairs told KUNA.
"I'm sure all sorts of assurances will be offered," said Roby Barrett, who is also a senior advisor to the Board of Directors of the US-Arab Chamber of Commerce. The GCC leaders are "extremely skeptical," about the implementation of the deal, as well as America's ability to take action should Iran violate the terms it agreed to, he added. "Our allies in the Gulf are the most important we have in the Middle East," Barrett said. "What's [Obama] willing to do to preserve that?" The GCC will most likely request that the US demand a "limiting deal" from Iran by June 30, when the text of the agreement is finalized, Barrett said. The GCC will also want to know how the US will enforce the agreement, and what it will do if Iran does not comply with it, he said. Barrett noted that the Gulf leaders are "suspicious" and "concerned", not least because they have seen Obama pledge to intervene in Syria following the 2013 sarin gas attacks - which were blamed on the regime of Bashar Al-Assad - and instead do nothing but "turn to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin" to forge an agreement with the Syrian leader, whom the US no longer believed had legitimacy. "The Obama Administration has no intention of using military force in Iran," Barrett stressed, describing the president's tactics as the opposite to those of his predecessor, George W. Bush.
The GCC "can act unilaterally" if it has to, he said.
Though the GCC tends to speak with one voice, fractures have come under the spotlight since the uprisings began in the Middle East in 2011. If there are major differences between the GCC nations, Barrett said, they will be revealed in how each of the leaders reacts to what Obama has to say.
The GCC leaders may all want "equal nuclear footing" with Iran, Barrett concurred. Earlier this month, unnamed US government officials told the Los Angeles Times that "they hope to reassure nervous Gulf Arab states by providing more military aid and training to their defense forces, and by making more explicit commitments to help them repel external attacks." KUNA reached out to the Department of State for comment, but was told that besides the meeting announcement from the White House, no further information on the summit can be made available at this time. Allen Keiswetter, a retired Senior Foreign Service Officer who spent 36 years with the Department of State, told KUNA that "the president will be in listening mode" during the meetings. Ultimately, "there needs to be further steps in formalizing our defense relationship," Keiswetter said. "I think this will be a significant summit," he added. "Camp David is where history has been made."
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.