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        Obama Hosting Gulf Summit with Focus on Iran, Regional Conflicts

   by VOA News

   President Barack Obama and senior officials from six Gulf nations are
   continuing their summit Thursday on issues in the Middle East,
   including a potential nuclear deal with Iran and the fighting in Iraq,
   Syria, Yemen and Libya.

   The talks with the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council began with a
   working dinner Wednesday night at the White House before shifting
   Thursday to the Camp David presidential retreat about 100 kilometers
   north of Washington.

   Obama said the meetings come during what he called a "very challenging
   time" in the Gulf region.

   His deputy national security advisor, Ben Rhodes, told Alhurra on
   Wednesday that one of the goals of the summit is to examine military
   capabilities and ways for the Gulf countries to both work together and
   with the United States.

   "We're not looking at a binding treaty like we have with NATO
   countries, which is something that was painstakingly negotiated and
   developed over many years, but we are looking at a clear commitment
   from the United States that we will come to the defense of our GCC
   partners in the face of external threats," Rhodes said.  "And we have
   shown in the past that that includes potentially the use of military
   force as we did in the Gulf war."

   Gulf states have expressed concern about the ongoing nuclear
   negotiations with regional rival Iran and want to upgrade their
   security relationship with the U.S.  They are worried that a deal would
   boost Iranian prestige in the region and weaken U.S. ties with other
   Gulf states, particularly in military matters.

   White House spokesman John Earnest said Wednesday the U.S. values its
   security ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council.

   "There will be a discussion about how the president believes the best
   way for us to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is through
   diplomacy," he said.  "And the president believes it's clearly in the
   best interest of the United States, but he also happens to believe it's
   in the best interest of GCC partners, too."

   Before the White House dinner Wednesday, Obama met with Saudi Crown
   Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
   -- son of King Salman.

   The president noted that the U.S. and Saudis have an "extraordinary
   friendship" dating back more than 70 years.

   They also talked about Yemen and how to build on a humanitarian
   cease-fire there. The Saudis have led an Arab coalition carrying out
   airstrikes against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who have forced Yemen's
   pro-Western president to flee.

   Others attending the Gulf summit are the emirs of Kuwait and Qatar and
   senior officials from Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
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   on-iran-regional-conflicts/2767050.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-hosting-gulf-summit-with-focus-on-iran-regional-conflicts/2767050.html