zaterdag 22 september 2007

Golfstaten: Midden-Oosten conferentie niet om de VS in Irak te helpen

Het is een populaire theorie dat het Israëlisch-Palestijnse conflict de kern van de problemen in het Midden-Oosten is, en de oplossing ervan noodzakelijk voor vooruitgang op andere vlakken, zoals in Irak, Libanon, tegengaan van extremisme en islamisme, bevorderen van democratie etc. De Irak Studie Groep legde de link tussen Irak en het Israëlisch-Palestijns conflict nadrukkelijk, en beschuldigde Israël zo indirect van medeverantwoordelijkheid voor Amerika's problemen in Irak.

Maar nu blijkt dat de golfstaten niet blij zijn met de link tussen Irak en het Midden-Oosten conflict: 

Gulf Cooperation Council member states "welcome any attempt to reach a just and comprehensive solution of the Palestinian issue and settle the Arab-Israeli conflict," Abdulrahman al-Attiyah said in remarks released at GCC headquarters in Riyadh.

He said he hoped the proposed conference will address core issues and will "not be aimed at linking movement in the Middle East peace process to developments in Iraq in a bid to attract Arab states to a conference whose real goal is to help (the US) get out of the Iraqi impasse."

Attiyah did not elaborate on his suggestion that Gulf monarchies, which have close ties with the United States, fear Washington might use the conference to ease its difficulties in war-torn Iraq, where the continuing insurgency is fueling mounting domestic criticism.



Wat is zo problematisch aan het idee dat vooruitgang tussen Israël en de Palestijnen Amerika ook kan helpen in Irak? Ik geloof niet dat het zo werkt, en ik vind het een kwalijke zaak als Amerika oplossing van het Midden-Oosten conflict ondergeschikt maakt aan oplossing van de problemen in Irak. Beide zaken verdienen serieuze toewijding en moeten op zichzelf te worden bekeken, en er dient geen uitruil van concessies plaats te vinden. Maar vanwaar de nadruk dat de VS vooral geen voordeel van deze conferentie mag hebben? De golfstaten zijn bondgenoten van de VS, de VS investeert vele miljarden dollars in hun veiligheid, en zij danken hun rijkdom grotendeels aan de olie-export naar de VS en Europa. Misschien dat de idee dat de 'Israël lobby' de schuld is van de problemen van de VS in het Midden-Oosten, nu eindelijk kan worden afgeschreven.
 
 
Ratna
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Mideast conference should not aim to help US in Iraq: GCC
Agence France-Presse - 19 September, 2007
www.gulfinthemedia.com/index.php?id=343671&news_type=Top&lang=en

Pro-Western Gulf Arab states do not want the Middle East peace conference called by Washington to be aimed at helping get it out of "the Iraqi impasse," the oil-rich bloc's chief said on Tuesday.

Gulf Cooperation Council member states "welcome any attempt to reach a just and comprehensive solution of the Palestinian issue and settle the Arab-Israeli conflict," Abdulrahman al-Attiyah said in remarks released at GCC headquarters in Riyadh.

He said he hoped the proposed conference will address core issues and will "not be aimed at linking movement in the Middle East peace process to developments in Iraq in a bid to attract Arab states to a conference whose real goal is to help (the US) get out of the Iraqi impasse."

Attiyah did not elaborate on his suggestion that Gulf monarchies, which have close ties with the United States, fear Washington might use the conference to ease its difficulties in war-torn Iraq, where the continuing insurgency is fueling mounting domestic criticism.

His remarks came barely a week after GCC heavyweight Saudi Arabia said it might skip the international conference if the meeting is not comprehensive and does not tackle core issues of the conflict with Israel.

The GCC also groups Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

US President George W. Bush has called for the international conference, expected to be held in November, to jumpstart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice heads to Jerusalem on Wednesday to prepare for it.

Attiyah also reiterated that Gulf Arab states favour a negotiated settlement to the standoff between Iran and the West over its nuclear programme.

"GCC states don't want to see any brotherly or friendly country subjected to sanctions," he said in a reference to Iran.

They also support "opting for the language of peaceful dialogue to resolve all the problems liable to affect international security and stability," Attiyah added.

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