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Friday, April 4, 2008       Free Headline Alerts

With Shi'ite unrest on the rise, Gulf states get serious about security

ABU DHABI — Two Gulf Arab allies faced with rising Shi'ite unrest have agreed on terms for security cooperation.

Bahrain and Kuwait have signed a memorandum of understanding for security cooperation. The accord, signed in Manama on March 25, was meant to pave the way for enhanced coordination and cooperation in counter-insurgency and anti-crime efforts.

This marked the first security accord between the two Gulf Cooperation Council states in years. In 2008, Shi'ite unrest rose in Kuwait, who closed its borders to Shi'ites from Bahrain, Middle East Newsline reported.

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"The signing of the agreement esssentially affirms the solid and historic ties that bind the two countries," Kuwaiti Interior Minister Jaber Al Khaled Al Jaber Al Sabah said.

This marked the first security accord between the two Gulf Cooperation Council states in years. In 2008, Shi'ite unrest rose in Kuwait, who closed its borders to Shi'ites from Bahrain.

Officials said the two countries would cooperate in identifying insurgency threats. They said Bahrain and Kuwait would exchange intelligence, documents and promote visits to help combat insurgency, organized crime and drug trafficking.

The two GCC members also intend to extradite fugitives. Officials said the effort would require increased communications and access to a common data base.

Kuwait has sought to increase regional cooperation amid the threat of Iranian-backed Shi'ite unrest, which included the interrogation of former parliamentarians charged with links to Hizbullah in Lebanon. Jaber has visited most GCC states to help coordinate counter-insurgency efforts.

Meanwhile, Bahrain has relayed a request for a U.S. Patriot missile defense system.

Officials said Bahrain's King Hamad has asked to procure the U.S.-origin PAC-3 advanced missile defense system. They said Hamad wants the Defense Department to train and help deploy PAC-3 in the Gulf Cooperation Council kingdom, which hosts the U.S. Navy.

"Our defense cooperation with the United States goes back more than 60 years," Hamad said. "It has consistently proved its value in maintaining peace and security in the Gulf, and we believe that the region will continue to need such cooperation now and in the future."

On March 24, Hamad held talks with Defense Secretary Robert Gates on the Iranian threat and the need for additional U.S. military cooperation. Officials said Hamad urged Gates to export PAC-3 as well as other air defense assets to Bahrain.

"Today, we discussed our readiness to confront any possible threat to the stability and security of the Arabian Gulf and, in this respect, we will increase our joint exercises to adapt to the new defense systems," Hamad said. "Our talks on defense cooperation is consistent with Bahrain's status as a major non-NATO ally of the United States."

On Tuesday, Hamad met President George Bush. Bush praised Bahrain's assumption of its command of a Gulf multi-national task force.

"We talked about security matters, which really are the most important issue, for maintaining the development and the prosperity in our region," Hamad said.

Bahrain, with few energy resources, is the smallest and poorest of GCC states. Manama has also been struggling with Shi'ite unrest believed aided by neighboring Iran.

Manama has joined Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in their requests for U.S.-origin missile defense systems. Saudi Arabia has also drafted plans to submit a formal request for PAC-3. U.S. Central Command, responsible for the Gulf, has been maintaining its own PAC-3 batteries in Kuwait and Qatar.

On March 24, Bahrain and the United States signed a nuclear energy cooperation accord. The memorandum of understanding, signed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Bahraini counterpart, Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, envisioned the sale to Manama of at least one nuclear energy reactor, fuel of which would be provided by the United States.

"In particular, Bahrain affirmed its intention to forgo sensitive fuel cycle technologies and rely on existing international markets for nuclear fuel," the State Department said. "This stands in direct contrast to Iran's nuclear activities."


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