Special to WorldTribune.com

ABU DHABI — The Gulf Cooperation Council has failed to approve
membership applications for Jordan and Morocco.

Officials acknowledged that the GCC was divided over whether to admit
Jordan and Morocco amid rising tension with neighboring Iran. They said
several of the six GCC members, including the United Arab Emirates,
determined that Amman and Rabat would pose a burden to the Gulf economy.

“We must learn from the experience of the European Union, which at some
point accepted 10 countries to its membership and look now what happened
with the euro,” UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said.

On Nov. 30, Al Nahyan confirmed reports of a dispute within the GCC over
membership for Jordan and Morocco, Middle East Newsline reported. In May, the two Arab League states,
with Western-equipped militaries, were invited by the GCC to seek
membership, and at one point the GCC was expected to have announced their approval.

“There is no consensus at the moment to include Morocco and Jordan,” Al
Nahyan said.

Officials said Saudi Arabia lobbied for membership for Jordan and
Morocco, both allies of the GCC kingdom. Jordan was particularly sought
because of its modern Western military as well as its training capabilities
in special operations and counter-insurgency.

“There was agreement by some of the members that Jordan and Morocco
would have observer-plus status in the GCC, but neither country was
interested in that,” an official said.

Yemen has also applied for GCC membership, officials said. But they said
the consensus within the council was that Yemen was too poor and unstable
for genuine consideration.

GCC secretary-general Abdul Latif Al Zayani said the alliance remained
committed to what he termed a strategic partnership with Jordan and Morocco.
Al Zayani said the partnership could be the first step toward eventual
integration in the GCC.

“The council’s member states are willing to promote their strategic
partnership with the two kingdoms,” Al Zayani said on Dec. 6.

  Abdul Latif Al Zayani, Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Amman, Gulf Cooperation Council, Morocco, Rabat, Wealthy Gulf states balk at accepting Jordan, Yemen