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‘Rising tensions fuel chances of terror attack on Gulf oil facilities’; GCC favours peaceful solution to Iran nuclear crisis: Al-Attiya

KUWAIT CITY (Agencies): Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), Hani Abdulaziz Huss-ein has asked the Gulf states to ensure the security and safety of the oil installations as the region is living under intense tension due to the Iranian nuclear crisis and the political unrest in Iraq, reports Al-Qabas. Hussein added, “The possibility of a terrorist group attacking oil establishments in the Gulf is increasing each day as a result of the tension in this region. He added that officials in the Gulf should not neglect the warning on boosting security at their oil establishments.

Talking about oil prices in international markets, Hussein stated that if the nuclear problem between the United States and Iran further piqued then the oil prices will continue to rise. He also assured that if the international oil industry could solve problems in the past successfully then the oil producing countries should also resolve the current crisis peacefully. Specifying the real reasons for increasing oil prices, Hussein remarked that there is no important change in the international market in supply and demand to push the oil prices up. He pointed out that there are some psychological factors which are linked to the situation in Iran and Iraq in addition to the developments in other countries which also affected the oil prices.

Hussein commented on what the Iranian President said when he stated that the price for an oil barrel should be 100 dollars and further added that oil producing countries should look at the oil prices on short and long term bases. He added these countries should look for oil prices which will keep other countries consuming the product in the short and long run, and noted that the sudden increase in oil prices could have a negative effect on developing countries.

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Abdel-Rahman Al-Attiya, said GCC members supported a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis and pointed out that the region could do without another armed conflict. Speaking during a statement broadcast by the UAE official News Agency, Al-Attiya said the Iranian nuclear issue would “impose itself on the agenda of the upcoming GCC Eighth Consultative Conference,” due to open in Riyadh on May 6. He said the nuclear issue was a sensitive one and “the Iranian leaders no doubt understand this fact and appreciate the concern expressed by neighboring countries.”

He stressed that GCC states “expect Iran to be a force of peace and political stability and one working closely with its neighbors for the prosperity of the region.” He called on Iran to adopt confidence-building steps towards its neighbors. He urged Israel to join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and abide by its restrictions including having all Israeli nuclear sites subjected to regular checks by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).Turning to the issue of Iraqi politics, Al-Attiya said GCC leaders would welcome, at their consultative conference, the choice of a new Iraqi president, prime minister and parliamentary speaker.