Azerbaijan, Baku, 31 October/ Trend , corr T. Jafarov, U. Sadigova/ Iran's enhanced cooperation with neighboring countries, in particular with the Persian Gulf in the sphere of politics, economy and security is a guarantee for security of this country in the region.
Sami as Faraj, chief of bureau of Kuwait-based Strategic Studies Center told Trend that cooperation of Persian Gulf states should be deepened especially in the sphere of security as region of Arab peninsula has an important geographic location.
Chairman of Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the PersianGulf (CCASG) Abdurrahman al Atiya has paid a visit to Iran. Al Atiya told a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki on 28 October that the Council examines proposal on creating common market of Iran and Persian Gulf states. He positively assessed the proposal.
Persian Gulf states must enhance cooperation as it will ensure security in the region, al Faraj said.
" Iran and Iraq are the most conflict countries in the region. Instability in these countries can affect other Gulf states as well," al Faraj said by telephone from Kuwait.
The cooperation should cover all spheres including military, he added.
Al Faraj said the disagreements between Iran and Arab states have deepened for the past years which should be solved by peaceful means.
Iran and United Arab Emirates (UAE) put forward territorial claims to three islands (Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abumusa) located in the Persian Gulf. CCASG has repeatedly demanded Iran to give back the three islands to UAE.
Iran should restore Baghdad agreement of 1955 with the Persian Gulf states, al Faraj noted.
Baghdad Agreement involving the United States as well was signed in 1995 by Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. According to the Agreement, member states must maintain mutual security and take joint efforts to restore stability in the region. The Agreement was infringed in 1959.
Al Faraj said the best way of out of problems of the Persian Gulf states is to return to Baghdad Agreement, in other words, the member states should assume responsibility to ensure each-others security. The West pursues policy within the frames of Baghdad agreement to provide security in the region. This is more favorable for the conflict states such as Iran and Pakistan, he said.
The United Kingdom-based Iranian political scientists Alirza Nourizade said to Trend that Al Atiya is Qatari by origin and Qatar-Iran relations are very good unlike other members of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the PersianGulf. Therefore, Al Atiya will deal with Iran in a diplomatic way better than others.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Qatari Emir have exchanged visits to each-others countries. The sides have signed agreements on cooperation in various spheres.
Creating common market of Iran and Persian Gulf States can be realized after Iran's political problem is solved, he said.
Chief of Iran-Arab Studies Center said by telephone from London that the subject of the talks between the sides is not reported. Though they support cooperation and creation of a common market, the subject of talks is not known.
The common market is not expected to be created until Iran faces sanctions by UN Security Council and the United States. Banks of UAE, one of the largest trade partners of Iran do not offer their services to Iranians any more.
Only 2 of 12 UAE banks are prepared to offer their services to Iranians, but at high rates, according to Huseini, member of Iran's Chamber of Commerce
He believes that al Atiya delivered an especial message to Iran. Iran's demonstrating its power in the Persian Gulf, testing various weapons and announcements on closure of the Strait of Hormuz caused an alarm among the Persian Gulf states.
In wake of visit of the Iranian speaker Ali Larijani to Bahrain, it can seem that Iranian government tends to change its position and policy in the region, he said.
Nourizade said US is going to hold presidential election and Iran hopes that newly-elected US president will bring political changes. Therefore, Iran seeks to pursue a policy of friendship in the Persian Gulf. From this standpoint, al Atiya's visit to Tehran is likely to yield good results.
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