Gulf States Reject Cheney's Crazy Iran War

May 16, (EIRNS)--The leaders of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held a summit meeting in Riyadh yesterday to discuss the recent visits of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad to the region.

Abdulrahman Al-Atiya, the General Secretary of the GCC, told the press in his final statement after the Summit: "The leaders of the GCC discussed the details of the visit by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney to the region, and were thoroughly briefed by the leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Oman about their discussions with the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad." The final statement called for "the necessity of finding a peaceful solution [to the Iranian nuclear program issue] which would spare the region more tension". Al-Atiya said, "the six leaders discussed the dangers posed by a military strike against Iran," and emphasized that the "the Summit renewed its commitment to the principled position of the GCC that it would not support a military strike against Iran."

Al-Atiya did not disclose details about the UAE and Oman's talks with the Iranian President, but did say that Ahmedinejad's visit was "focused on Iran's desire to develop friendly and fraternal relations with the Gulf states." He also stressed that "the leaders of the GCC expressed their hope that that U.S. and Iran would use their coming talks (in Iraq) to reach objectives that would enhance security and stability in the region."