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Persian Gulf States `Complete Civil Nuclear Program Study'

Wednesday November 7th, 2007 / 22h19

The six pro-Western Persian Gulf states have completed a feasibility study on a proposed civil nuclear program, the bloc's secretary general said on Wednesday at a meeting of Gulf defense ministers.

Abdel Rahman al-Attiyah said that the study, which was put together with the assistance of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, had been handed to him on Monday and would be submitted to a meeting of Gulf foreign ministers next week.

Leaders of the six oil-rich monarchies that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council ordered the study at their last summit in Riyadh in December and are to review progress at their next gathering in Doha, Qatar next month.

Attiyah called on GCC member states - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - to be prepared for any military action by the U.S. against Iran because of the Islamic republic's own nuclear program.

"The dangers and challenges facing our region require us to be vigilant and prepared," he told reporters.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia's deputy defense minister said the armed forces of the six GCC states were well prepared for any eventuality.

"This subject is under constant study between defense ministers as the countries of the Gulf have to be always ready for any emergency," Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz said in response to a reporter's question about the possibility of conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

In the face of Iran's contested nuclear drive, a string of Arab states have announced their own plans to develop atomic energy. Among them are Algeria, Jordan, Libya and Yemen, as well as the six GCC states.

Source: AFP