(l–r): Dr John Chipman, Director-General and Chief Executive, IISS; Professor François Heisbourg, Chairman, IISS Council; and Sheikh Dr Muhammad Al Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kuwait
preventive diplomacy involved peaceful, transparent, good-
was proposing a ‘middle way’ to allow the exchange to
neighbourly relations that avoided the use of ideologies.
take place on the Iranian island of Kish in phases of 400kg.
Sheikh Dr Muhammad was particularly concerned about
‘Is not that a response?’ he asked. ‘Why are you pleading
the challenge posed by demographic changes, including rapid
ignorance?’ Sanctions, he said, were illegal and ineffective,
population growth, the increase in migrant worker numbers,
and Iran would not give up its rights to develop nuclear
and the fact that the children of migrant workers were enter-
capabilities. While Washington soon indicated that it saw
ing the competition for jobs. He added that it was essential for
nothing new in Mottaki’s remarks, it remained to be seen
Gulf countries to preserve their cultural identities.
whether a deal such as that tentatively agreed in Geneva might still be possible.
Iran
The concerns of other countries about Iran were evi-
With the United States and other countries considering
dent. Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa,
new sanctions against Iran because of lack of progress
Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the biggest
in discussions on its nuclear programme, the country
threat to the region was the possibility of conflict between
provided a major focus for the Dialogue. Some Gulf
Israel and Iran over the nuclear programme. ‘Lives will be
countries, in particular the United Arab Emirates, have
lost, vital resources will be put in jeopardy, the world econ-
been stepping up purchases of military equipment,
omy will undoubtedly suffer and all our efforts towards
apparently because they perceive a heightened threat.
regional development and prosperity will be significantly
In his speech, Mottaki said Iran opposed nuclear weap-
hindered,’ Sheikh Khalid said.
ons. Questioned on the nuclear programme, he noted that
Relations between Iran and its neighbours needed
the Tehran research reactor had been built with American
to be improved. Sheikh Khalid proposed several confi-
help, and the Bushehr nuclear power plant with French
dence-building measures: coordination of responses on
and German support. But because all this help had been
disaster risk reduction, for example on severe dust storms;
withdrawn, Iran had determined to be self-sufficient – it
a regional development programme providing expertise
needed ten–15 nuclear plants for electricity generation.
and assistance in areas lacking basic resources; and regional
‘Once bitten, twice shy’, Mottaki said.
consultations to prevent a future regional nuclear disaster.
Responding to a question from Mark Fitzpatrick, IISS
Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Dr Muhammad
Senior Fellow for Non-Proliferation, Mottaki objected to
said Iran’s programme needed to follow the guidelines
suggestions that Iran had not responded to a proposal
of the International Atomic Energy Agency. If the United
discussed in Geneva in October, under which Iran would
Nations Security Council agreed on a new round of sanc-
ship 1,200kg of enriched uranium out of the country, to
tions, he said, ‘this region is going to enter into a period of
be further enriched into fuel for the Tehran reactor. Iran
tension. Iran is a major player in the Gulf. Any tension with The Manama Dialogue 2009 | 59