Gulf states getting serious about security as U.S. chooses new leader
ABU DHABI — The Gulf Cooperation Council has drafted a series of
recommendations in the effort by the six members to enhance security and
military cooperation at a time of possible change in U.S. policy in the region.
Officials said GCC defense ministers and interior ministers met in late
October and early November to draft guidelines for the leadership summit in
Oman expected in December 2008, Middle East Newsline reported. They said the guidelines stipulated enhanced
training, operational exercises and an intelligence exchange.
"The GCC aims to enhance military cooperation in accordance with current
challenges," Qatari Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmed Bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud
said.
Officials said GCC defense ministers, who ended their meeting in Qatar
on Nov. 2, approved the recommendations of the military chiefs of staff on
regional cooperation. They said the recommendations, approved by the
military chiefs in a separate meeting in October, were designed to revive
the GCC regional force, Peninsula Shield.
Saudi Arabia has sought to expand the moribund Peninsula Shield from its
current 6,000 to about 22,000 members. Peninsula Shield, opposed by such
countries as Qatar and Oman, was suspended during a GCC summit in 2006.
GCC interior ministers agreed to a series of recommendations for
security cooperation during their meeting in Doha, which ended on Oct. 29.
Officials said the recommendations concerned enhanced cooperation in
counter-insurgency, criminal investigations, technology exchange and
intelligence.
"The ministers also discussed the criteria for security officer
training," Kuwait Interior Undersecretary Abdul Latif Al Rajaib said.
Officials said the interior ministers endorsed the distribution of
so-called smart identity cards for GCC nationals. They said the smart IDs
would facilitate regional tourism and trade.
