UK joins GCC in warning Iran
Gulf allies strengthen alliance to counter ‘destabilising activities’ of Tehran with new strategic and economic partnership
ABU DHABI // GCC states and Britain pledged to work together to counter Iran’s “destabilising activities” in the region as they announced a wide-ranging “strategic partnership” at the GCC Summit in Bahrain yesterday.
A joint statement issued by the six member states of the GCC and the UK said the partnership intended to enhance cooperation across security, military and re- gional political interests, as well as increase trade. The partnership was announced after an inaugural meeting between the bloc and Britain, represented by prime minister Theresa May, and chaired by Bahrain’s King Hamad.
The two sides said they would “oppose and will work together to counter Iran’s destabilising activities in the region” and called on Tehran to “engage the region according to the principles of good neighbourliness, strict non-interference in domestic affairs, and respect for territorial integrity,” the communique said.
Most GCC countries view the region through the prism of what they see as Iranian aggression, and as with the United States, they would like London to do more to counter Tehran.
But as with pledges by Barack Obama, the joint statement only went as far as saying the UK “remains committed” to helping the GCC protect against external aggression “just as it did during the Gulf War”, when Iraq invaded Kuwait.
Earlier in the day, Mrs May said on the second day of the annual GCC Summit that the nuclear accord between world powers including the UK, and Iran, is “vitally important” for the region’s security. Mrs May, the first British prime minister to attend the meeting of Gulf leaders, said world powers had secured a deal “which has neutralised the possibility of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons for over a decade”.
On regional cooperation, the communique stated the two sides had “decided on a set of common principles, including a shared recognition that there is no military solution to the region’s” conflicts.
Regarding the war in Yemen, where the UK has both supported the Saudi -led coalition and been involved in brokering talks, the GCC-UK statement reiterated demands that the conflict be resolved according to the GCC In- itiative and UN Security Council resolutions, and “urged the Yemeni parties to engage with the UN in good faith” and adhere to the failed temporary truce agreed to in April.
Both sides said they would work together to rebuild Yemen after a political settlement was reached. The communique laid out a lengthy list of areas where the two sides pledged to work together more closely – the UK with the bloc and unilaterally – on security, counter-terrorism, cyber security and defence more broadly.
The sides pledged to enhance training and military cooperation through exercises “that would develop GCC defence capacity, capability and interoperability, including for humanitarian and peace support operations”, as well as maritime and border security.
While the lengthy statement painted the ties in broad strokes, one concrete detail of closer cooperation was the announcement of a coordination centre for Britain’s growing military presence throughout the Gulf region based in Dubai, the Regional British Defence Staff.
Britain is building a new permanent naval base in Bahrain and an army base in Oman. Ms May attended the summit as part of the UK’s plans to enhance the long- standing with Gulf states that have become more vital after the vote to leave the European Union.
The emphasis of Mrs May’s remarks and the joint statement was on the security relationships that are the key elements of Britain’s ties in the region which are seen as vital to diversifying economic cooperation, despite increasing criticism in the UK about its support for the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen.
From London’s perspective, the most vital outcome of the summit will have been economic. The relationships that date back hundreds of years to its era of empire “east of the Suez” are crucial to it now it will leave the European Union – to demonstrate it is still a global player and offset the economic fallout.
Mrs May announced Britain’s plans to help with aviation security in the Gulf as well as for new five-year multiple-entry visas for UK businesspeople working in Saudi Arabia. “I want these talks to pave the way for an ambitious trade arrangement,” she said.
The joint statement did not announce trade deals but put forth a framework for building “long-standing cooperation to unlock the full potential for their trade and investment relationship”.
“We will make it a priority, when the UK leaves the EU, to build the closest possible commercial and economic relationship, and even more closely with business to promote actively GCC-UK economic engagement beyond current levels,” it said.
“We will work to understand and remove barriers to trade and investment and create the conditions under which trade and investment can flourish, empowering and enhancing the lives of our citizens.”