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 Hosting the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council for a rare summit
at Camp David, Obama pledged that the United States would consider
using military force to defend them and would also help counter
Iran's "destabilizing activities in the region."
"I am reaffirming our iron-clad commitment to the security of our
Gulf partners," Obama told a closing news conference at the
presidential retreat outside Washington.
Obama stopped short of offering a formal defense treaty that some
Gulf countries had sought. Instead he announced more modest
measures, including integrating ballistic missile defense systems,
beefing up cyber and maritime security, streamlining weapons sales
and increasing joint military exercises.
The United States and five other world powers are seeking to reach a
final deal with Iran on curbing its nuclear program by a June 30
deadline. The GCC agreed in a joint communique that a
"comprehensive, verifiable" accord with Tehran would be in their
security interests.
But Obama did not go as far as saying the Sunni Arab states had
committed to backing the outcome of the talks with Iran, their
Shi'ite arch-rival. The Saudi foreign minister made clear, in fact,
that his government was withholding judgment for now.
Obama also sought to allay Gulf Arab concerns that the potential
lifting of international sanctions on Tehran would embolden it to
fuel more sectarian strife in the region.
 Differences over U.S. policy toward Tehran, Syria’s civil war and
the Arab Spring uprisings loomed over the meetings, which were
already clouded by the absence of most of the
Gulf’s ruling monarchs, who instead sent lower-level officials.
Saudi King Salman pulled out, sending Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Nayef and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his place in a
move widely interpreted as a snub that reflected Gulf frustration
with the Obama administration. The White House insisted that such
decisions were not intended as slights.
OBAMA'S BALANCING ACT
The GCC consists of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United
Arab Emirates and Oman. Obama sought to strike a balance between
trying to ease their fears about his diplomacy with Iran and
squeezing the oil-rich states to work together more in their own
defense.
"The United States will stand by our GCC partners against external
attack," Obama said, with Gulf leaders by his side.
But he then told a news conference it was a "two-way street" and
Gulf countries, which have differences among themselves, must also
cooperate better. A summit joint statement showed the GCC states
committing to develop a U.S.-assisted region-wide missile defense
system, something Washington has long advocated.
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However, it was unclear whether Obama had made significant headway
toward Gulf Arab backing for an emerging Iran deal. The White House
had hoped at least for a toning-down of any criticism. That could
help convince a skeptical U.S. Congress of broad backing in the
region, where U.S. ally Israel stands as the most vocal opponent of
Obama's diplomatic effort. Israel, widely believed to be the
Middle East's only nuclear-armed state, has so far offered no overt
criticism of the proposed strengthening of Gulf Arab defenses,
suggesting that it is open to anything that challenges Iran's power
in the region.
Gulf states, in the final communique, stopped short of endorsing a
framework deal reached last month that envisages sanctions relief in
return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear program. The agreement aims to
prevent Iran from developing an atomic weapon, although Tehran has
long maintained its nuclear program is purely for peaceful use.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country favors
efforts to negotiate the closing of Iran's nuclear weapons pathways,
but told reporters: "We will follow the talks and see before we can
judge."
The White House said it does not want to see a nuclear arms race in
the Middle East. Some Saudi officials have hinted at pursuing the
kingdom's own nuclear technology if any final deal leaves Iran with
too much leeway to develop a weapon.
Gulf leaders are concerned that lifting sanctions would allow Tehran
to increase funding for Shi'ite militias in volatile countries such
as Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon.
The Saudis and other Gulf states have also been accused of fueling
sectarian proxy wars involving their neighbors.
Obama seemed at one point to play down any non-nuclear threat from
Iran. But he said Gulf states needed to shore up their defenses,
including security for the world's most important oil routes.
Iranian naval vessels fired warning shots over a Singapore-flagged
vessel in international waters in the Gulf on Thursday, prompting
the oil products tanker to flee to UAE waters, according to U.S.
officials.
(Writing by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by James Dalgleish and Frances
Kerry)
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