HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday. The meeting dealt with a number of topics and reviewed bilateral co-operation and ways to enhance it. HH the Emir and Kerry also discussed a number of regional and international issues of joint interest. These included the latest on the Yemeni crisis, conditions in Syria, counter-terrorism efforts as well as steps to enhance security and stability in the region. The US secretary of state briefed HH the Emir on details of the deal reached between the 5+1 group and Iran on the latter’s nuclear programme. The Emir expressed his hope for a Middle East that is free of weapons of mass destruction or a race towards acquiring them. HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani attended the meeting. The delegation accompanying Kerry was also present.
HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday. They reviewed bilateral co-operation and ways to enhance it in all fields. They discussed a number of regional and international issues of joint interest and addressed uniting the efforts of the international community to find suitable solutions to the Syrian, Iraqi, Yemeni and Libyan crises. They also discussed facing the threat of terrorism and enhancing security and stability in the region. HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani attended the meeting. The delegation accompanying Lavrov was also present.
HE al-Attiyah calls for a ban on all nuclear weapons not only in Iran but “all the Middle East”
DPA, AFP
Doha
US Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday that he and Gulf states agreed that once fully implemented the nuclear deal with Iran would contribute to the region’s “long-term security”.
Kerry met with foreign ministers from the six countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) to gain their support for the deal.
The visiting US chief diplomat said that while he hoped Iran would see a “turning of the page” with regards the latter’s interference in regional conflicts, the allies had discussed a plan to broaden co-operation and develop local capacities to prevent regional destabilisation.
“What was resolved in Vienna was a nuclear deal without any understanding or expectation of what would flow from Iran with respect to the region,” Kerry said, noting that the Iranian leadership had left open the chance that there could be a change over time in Tehran’s foreign policy.
“We don’t know that and we have no bet placed on that,” said Kerry, admitting he was downbeat on a chance of a new policy with regards to Syria, Tehran’s long-standing ally.
“Our goal is to fully implement this agreement and to hope that Iran’s behaviour will be ameliorated,” he said, but noted that the grouping was making plans in case this failed to happen.
Kerry also announced that Washington had agreed to speed up arms sales to Gulf states.
Asked what he could offer Gulf states, Kerry, addressing a joint press conference with HE the Foreign Minister Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, said the US “agreed to expedite certain arms sales that are needed and that have taken too long in the past”.
The US would also step up efforts to share intelligence and increase the number of joint military exercises with its Arab allies, Kerry said.
He travelled to Doha for meetings with the GCC foreign ministers in a bid to allay their concerns about the nuclear accord with Iran.
The GCC groups Qatar with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Some regional countries have expressed concerns that the July 14 deal between Iran and world powers would allow greater regional interference by the Islamic republic.
“We talked about the possibility, not the possibility, the reality of increasing the number of exercises that we are conducting together,” Kerry said.
“These are a few examples and ways in which we believe the security of the region can be strengthened and co-operation will be enhanced.”
Kerry added that there was also agreement to “talk about how to integrate the region’s ballistic missile defences based on some of the activities of other countries”.
HE al-Attiyah told the press conference that the nuclear deal was “the best option among other options”.
He said there was support for the nuclear deal among countries in the Gulf, despite their cautious reaction.
“This was the best option among other options to come up with a solution to the nuclear weapons of Iran through dialogue and this came up as a result of the efforts exerted by the US of America and its allies,” he said.
Al-Attiyah also called for a ban on all nuclear weapons not only in Iran but “all the Middle East”.
Earlier, HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met with Kerry and his accompanying delegation. The meeting dealt with a number of topics and reviewed bilateral co-operation and ways to enhance it.
They also discussed a number of regional and international issues of joint interest. These included the latest on the Yemeni crisis, conditions in Syria, counter-terrorism efforts as well as efforts to enhance security and stability in the region.
The US secretary of state briefed HH the Emir on details of the deal reached between the 5+1 group and Iran on the latter’s nuclear programme.
The Emir expressed his hope for a Middle-East that is free of weapons of mass destruction or a race towards acquiring them.
HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani attended the meeting.
Kerry later held talks with al-Attiyah.
Before leaving Qatar late yesterday, Kerry also held a three-way meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who was on a visit to Doha, and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir.
Kerry flew to Qatar on Sunday from Egypt, where he also sought to assure Cairo that the landmark Iran deal signed in Vienna would bring greater security to the Middle East.
He said Washington recognised that “Iran is engaged in destabilising activities in the region - and that is why it is so important to ensure that Iran’s nuclear programme remains wholly peaceful”.