Camp David: The United States and its Gulf allies yesterday agreed to deepen their military partnership and jointly counter external threats, in the face of Iran’s growing role in the region.
US President Barack Obama, hosting leaders from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council for a rare summit at the Camp David presidential retreat, pledged that the US would cooperate with them to address what he called Iran’s “destabilising activities in the region”.
Qatar’s Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani took part in the summit.
“As we’ve declared in our joint statement, the United States is prepared to work jointly with GCC member states to deter and confront an external threat to any GCC state’s territorial integrity that is inconsistent with the UN charter,” Obama told reporters, with Gulf leaders standing by his side at the end of the talks.
Obama vowed to back Gulf allies against any “external attack”. Obama promised a “concrete series of steps” from the one-day summit as he sought to allay Gulf Arab fears that the potential lifting of international sanctions on Tehran would embolden it in the region and raise the risk of more sectarian strife.
The leaders issued a joint statement saying that in the event of aggression, the US stood ready to work with the Arab nations “to determine urgently what action may be appropriate, using the means at our collective disposal, including the potential use of military force, for the defence of our GCC partners”.
While the US has long provided military support to partners in the Gulf, the joint statement pledged new cooperation on counterterrorism, maritime security, cybersecurity and ballistic missile defence, among other things.
Obama said that, in the event of a threat to Gulf nations, the United States would consider using military force for their defence. Obama also said the United States would work with them to counter violent extremists working online.
Obama called the summit to reassure nervous Gulf allies that the United States is not turning its back on them even as it is trying to forge a deal with Tehran to limit Iran’s nuclear programme.
“But I want to be very clear,” he added. “The purpose of security cooperation is not to perpetuate any long-term confrontation with Iran or even to marginalise Iran.”
The leaders also agreed to press all parties in Libya to reach political agreement and a national unity government before Ramadan.
Two-state solution
Obama said that the United States still believes Israel’s long-term security is best served by reaching an agreement to live alongside a recognised Palestinian state.
Obama was speaking shortly after Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed a new right-wing ruling coalition seen as likely to further strain already damaged ties with the Palestinians.
“I continue to believe a two-state solution is absolutely vital for not only peace between Israelis and Palestinians, but for the long-term security of Israel as a democratic and Jewish state,” Obama said.
He acknowledged the prospect of a peace accord “seems distant now,” noting that a number of members of the new Israeli government did not share the view that a two-state solution was viable.
The US and Gulf states also declared the need to shift rapidly from military operations to a political process in Yemen.
Agencies
