Bahraini FM Calls for Inclusive Mideast Organization
Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheik Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa called this week for the creation of a forum that would include Israel and Iran to discuss the problems of the region. This was unusual because neither Israel nor Iran are Arab countries, most of the Arab countries do not have relations with Israel, and Iran’s growing influence is a concern in the region. Although many Arab countries have said they will only have relations with Israel if it signs peace agreements with the Palestinians and Syria, Al Khalifa believes that inclusion without exception is the only way to solve the region’s disputes. Al Khalifa said the organization should include “Israel, Turkey, Iran and Arab countries. Let them all sit together in one group… This is the only path to solve our problems.”
Ashley Flor
