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RIYADH: Oil-rich Gulf Arab states said on Sunday they planned to seek nuclear energy technology for peaceful purposes and repeated their demand to turn the Middle East, including the Gulf, into a zone free of weapons of mass destruction.
The six Gulf Cooperation Council leaders, ending a two-day summit in Riyadh, said in a statement that “the states of the (Gulf) region have a right to possess nuclear energy technology for peaceful purposes … within the context of the pertinent international agreements.”
They ordered that a “GCC-wide study be conducted to formulate a joint programme in the field of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, in keeping with international standards and regulations,” the statement said.
The leaders of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates called for a peaceful settlement of the crisis over Iran's nuclear programme, which the West suspects could be a cover for nuclear weapons development. Iran insists it is for peaceful purposes only.
The GCC heads of state also demanded that Israel, the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons, join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters that the GCC states' intention to pursue civilian nuclear technology was not a “threat” to anyone.
“We are announcing our intention to pursue the ownership of nuclear technology for peaceful (purposes),” he said.
“It is not a threat… It is an announcement so that there will be no misinterpretation for what we are doing. We are not doing this secretly. We are doing it openly,” he said.
“We want no bombs … Our policy is to have a region free of weapons of mass destruction,” he added. “This is why we called on Israel to renounce (nuclear weapons).”
