New Saudi king refuses invitation to attend the Camp David summit for US-Iran nuclear talks

Leaders of the Gulf nations unnerved by Washington's nuclear talks with Iran and Teheran's meddling across the Middle East want US President Barack Obama to promise more than words and weapons at this week's summit at Camp David, the presidential retreat in the Maryland woods.

They want commitments that the United States has their backs at a time when the region is under siege from Islamic extremists: Syria unraveling, Iraq volatile and Yemen mired in chaos.

"I think we are looking for some form of security guarantee, given the behavior of Iran in the region, given the rise of the extremist threat," said Yousef al-Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates' ambassador to the US.

"In the past, we have survived with a gentleman's agreement with the United States about security. I think, today, we need something in writing. We need something institutionalized."

Newly crowned Saudi King Salman refused an invitation to attend the landmark summit amid angst over US-Iran nuclear negotiations. Bahrain said separately that its king would not attend

Obama had invited six Gulf kings, emirs and sultans to the presidential retreat, seeking to shore up wavering trust as Washington negotiates with Teheran. But only two heads of state plan to attend.

Expectations for Obama's meetings with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman - include weapons sales, a renewed call for a coordinated missile defense system, more joint military exercises and better cooperation on cybersecurity.

Gulf officials had been pressing for the US to supply advanced weapons like F-35 stealth fighters and a written security guarantee in the face of threats from Iran.

"I don't believe there's a single country that doesn't think a defense shield for the region is a bad idea," Otaiba said. "The challenge is, how do you turn on a regional defense system when different countries are purchasing different equipment and at different paces? How do you link it? How do you get the radars to talk to each other?"

The US and five other nations are working to complete a deal intended to stop Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons in exchange for easing penalties that are choking the Iranian economy. The White House says the Gulf countries would be better off with an agreement that blocks Iran's path to an atomic weapon.

But the deal with Iran is not the only source of unease. Arab allies feel threatened by Iran's rising influence, and they fear a nuclear pact will embolden Teheran. They worry that the deal could unlock billions of dollars that Iran might decide to use to further intrude in countries or support terrorist proxies. US Secretary of State John Kerry has declined to say exactly what kind of reassurances Obama is prepared to offer at Camp David.

AP - AFP

(China Daily 05/12/2015 page12)