Saudis convene Gulf states over Iraqi threats, diplomatic offensive

ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia is hosting a high-level meeting from Gulf Cooperation Council states to discuss regional security and the Iraqi threat.

The meeting is being headed by Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz. The session began on Wednesday in the city of Khafr Baaten and is expected to end on late Thursday.

Arab diplomatic sources said the meeting is meant to discuss the Iraqi diplomatic drive to end United Nations sanctions as well as threats by Baghdad against Riyad and Kuwait. The sources said the Saudis were upset that only Riyad and Kuwait confronted Iraqi demands last week for an unconditional lifting of sanctions from the regime of President Saddam Hussein.

The demand was made during the March 27 meeting in Amman by the Arab League.

Those at the meeting include senior officials from Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. One such official was Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sabah Ahmad Al Sabah.

Earlier, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef said Saddam remains a threat to all nations of the Gulf.

"The Iraqi regime repeats its threats [against Saudi Arabia and Kuwait] and refuses the offers of those who want to put it back on the right track," Prince Nayef said.

In Paris, Qatari Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani held talks with French President Jacques Chirac regarding Iraq. Diplomatic sources said Chirac and the emir also discussed military cooperation between Doha and Paris.

The Qatari emir is expected to join the GCC talks in a military base in Khafr Baaten on Thursday.

The United States has resumed efforts to bolster the Iraqi opposition to Saddam. The London-based Al Hayat daily said U.S. diplomats have met Iraqi opposition elements in Damascus, London and Washington.

The newspaper said the Bush administration wants to include additional groups into the U.S.-backed Iraqi National Council.