Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07RIYADH1030
2007-05-16 17:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
MAY 15 MEETING OF GCC LEADERS YIELDS PREDICTABLE
how-toVZCZCXRO7466 PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHRH #1030 1361705 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 161705Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5396 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 8692 RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS RIYADH 001030
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NEA/ARP FOR SWALKER/BSHUKAN/RJACHIM
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR SA
SUBJECT: MAY 15 MEETING OF GCC LEADERS YIELDS PREDICTABLE
RESULTS
UNCLAS RIYADH 001030
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NEA/ARP FOR SWALKER/BSHUKAN/RJACHIM
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR SA
SUBJECT: MAY 15 MEETING OF GCC LEADERS YIELDS PREDICTABLE
RESULTS
1. (U) Leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
states met in Riyadh on May 15 for the ninth consultative
meeting. They agreed on three resolutions: 1) urging the
removal of all obstacles to the establishment of a Gulf
Customs Union before year's end; 2) recommending that
measures be quickly taken to complete the establishment of
the Common Market to be announced at the Muscat meeting; and
3) announcing a unified water project that will involve all
GCC countries.
2. (U) GCC Secretary General Abdul Rahman Al-Attiyah told
the Saudi press upon the conclusion of the session that GCC
leaders agreed to prepare a preliminary report on the
establishment of a nuclear program that will be in full
compliance with UN guidelines. Al-Attiyah also stated that a
team of experts will meet on May 20 with the GCC Secretariat,
followed by a meeting with the IAEA.
3. (U) In addition to the resolutions resulting from the
meeting, which was chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, GCC leaders expressed
support for the Arab Peace Initiative and called upon
Palestinian groups to abide by the Makkah agreement that
established the Palestinian National Unity Government. They
also demanded that those responsible for renewed violence be
held accountable. The group expressed sorrow at the
"escalation of violence in Iraq and the deterioration of the
security situation there." GCC leaders expressly condemned
any foreign interference in Iraqi matters. Finally, meeting
participants regretted that "nothing has been done" to end
the political crisis in Lebanon and called for the Lebanese
people to "unite for the sake of their country."
4. (U) According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA),GCC leaders
were also briefed on the recent visit of Iranian President
Ahmadinejad to the United Arab Emirates, as well as the May
12 visit to Saudi Arabia of Vice President Richard Cheney.
The SPA account of the GCC meeting quotes Al-Attiyah as
saying that the Iraq "situation" was at the top of the Vice
President's agenda. SPA also stated that the "GCC
perspective on Iraq is the same as that voiced by ...King
Abdullah...that the 'illegal' occupation of Iraq is behind
the current crisis in the Arab country."
FRAKER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NEA/ARP FOR SWALKER/BSHUKAN/RJACHIM
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR SA
SUBJECT: MAY 15 MEETING OF GCC LEADERS YIELDS PREDICTABLE
RESULTS
1. (U) Leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
states met in Riyadh on May 15 for the ninth consultative
meeting. They agreed on three resolutions: 1) urging the
removal of all obstacles to the establishment of a Gulf
Customs Union before year's end; 2) recommending that
measures be quickly taken to complete the establishment of
the Common Market to be announced at the Muscat meeting; and
3) announcing a unified water project that will involve all
GCC countries.
2. (U) GCC Secretary General Abdul Rahman Al-Attiyah told
the Saudi press upon the conclusion of the session that GCC
leaders agreed to prepare a preliminary report on the
establishment of a nuclear program that will be in full
compliance with UN guidelines. Al-Attiyah also stated that a
team of experts will meet on May 20 with the GCC Secretariat,
followed by a meeting with the IAEA.
3. (U) In addition to the resolutions resulting from the
meeting, which was chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, GCC leaders expressed
support for the Arab Peace Initiative and called upon
Palestinian groups to abide by the Makkah agreement that
established the Palestinian National Unity Government. They
also demanded that those responsible for renewed violence be
held accountable. The group expressed sorrow at the
"escalation of violence in Iraq and the deterioration of the
security situation there." GCC leaders expressly condemned
any foreign interference in Iraqi matters. Finally, meeting
participants regretted that "nothing has been done" to end
the political crisis in Lebanon and called for the Lebanese
people to "unite for the sake of their country."
4. (U) According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA),GCC leaders
were also briefed on the recent visit of Iranian President
Ahmadinejad to the United Arab Emirates, as well as the May
12 visit to Saudi Arabia of Vice President Richard Cheney.
The SPA account of the GCC meeting quotes Al-Attiyah as
saying that the Iraq "situation" was at the top of the Vice
President's agenda. SPA also stated that the "GCC
perspective on Iraq is the same as that voiced by ...King
Abdullah...that the 'illegal' occupation of Iraq is behind
the current crisis in the Arab country."
FRAKER