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US talks with Iran pose no threat to Arab allies: Gates
Riyadh (AFP) May 6, 2009 US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday said Arab fears of a possible "grand bargain" between Iran and the United States were unlikely and that Washington would not abandon its long-time regional allies. Seeking to reassure Arab governments about a potential shift in the regional balance of power, Gates said after meeting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that Washington would proceed carefully and that no deal was imminent. There were "some exaggerated concerns, some notion here in the region that there might be some grand bargain between the United States and Iran that would suddenly be sprung on them," he told reporters in Cairo. Such concerns were "completely unrealistic," Gates said before arriving in Riyadh to meet Saudi leaders. Washington would consult closely with its allies and that no deal would be hatched in secret, he promised. "We will keep our friends informed about what is going so that nobody gets surprised," he said. Although the US diplomatic effort was in its early stages, Gates said Tehran's initial response was "not encouraging." Even with its outreach to Iran, President Barack Obama's administration was focused on helping its Mideast allies safeguard their security in the face of what he called "subversive" action by Tehran. "Uppermost in our minds is taking measures necessary with our partners in the region, to maintain their security and their stability in particular against Iranian subversive activities," he said. His comments came after Cairo last month accused Iran of trying to plot attacks on Egypt using a Hezbollah cell, a charge Tehran denied. Egypt is the second largest recipient of US military aid, after Israel, and plays a key role in mediating between Palestinian militant groups and the Jewish state. Cairo has not had diplomatic relations with Tehran for 30 years and is keen to retain its influence and partnership with Washington. Despite Arab concerns, the chance of striking a "grand bargain" between the Islamic republic and the United States, in which a whole array of disputes would be resolved, remained slim, Gates said. "I believe that kind of prospect is very remote. I think it's very unlikely," he said. Whatever the outcome of US diplomacy with Iran, relations with Arab allies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia would remain as strong as ever, he said. "Reaching out to Iran with an open hand in no way minimises or changes the strong security relationship and political relationship that the US has with Egypt and Saudi Arabia and other long-term friends in the region," Gates said. He then travelled to Riyadh, where concern is running high over Iran's influence in the region -- including its close ties to Shiite-led Iraq. Gates held talks with the deputy interior minister, Mohammed bin Nayef and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, who has called for a joint Arab strategy to tackle the "Iranian challenge." Obama has sought to open up diplomatic channels with arch-foe Iran after three decades of hostile relations dating back to the 1979 Islamic revolution and the taking of American hostages at the US embassy. Gates said the White House was realistic about what could be achieved. "If we encounter a closed fist when we offer an open hand, then we will react accordingly," he said. "We're not willing to pull the hand back yet because we think there still some opportunity." Gates also said earlier in his tour that he expected to discuss with Saudi leaders the possibility of Yemeni detainees from the US-run "war on terror" prison at Guantanamo being transferred to Saudi Arabia. "The Saudis have perhaps the most successful repatriation, reeducation programme of any country at this point and so clearly there will be an interest in pursuing that with them," he said. US officials have been concerned that Saudi Arabia's southern neighbour Yemen is unable to provide sufficient security for returning detainees. Yemenis account for nearly 100 of the remaining 240 inmates at the controversial detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, which Obama has promised to close by early next year. Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Israel wants three-month limit on Iran nuclear dialogue
Jerusalem (AFP) May 5, 2009US-led efforts to negotiate an end to the Iran nuclear standoff should last only three months before "practical steps" are taken, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Thursday. |
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