Bahraini FM calls for Mideast forum that includes Israel, Iran - Haaretz

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Last update - 14:00 01/10/2008

Bahraini FM calls for Mideast forum that includes Israel, Iran

By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press

Tags: Iran, Bahrain, Israel News

Bahrain's foreign minister said in an interview published Wednesday that Middle East nations should form a regional organization that includes Israel and Iran to try to resolve their disputes.

It was a rare call for Arab countries to create a broad grouping alongside Israel, with which most of them do not have diplomatic relations, and Persian Iran, whose growing influence on the region is a cause of concern for them.

"The organization needs to include everyone, beyond differences of religion and race. The Middle East is the cradle of monotheistic religions... They should sit together in one organization," Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheik Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa told the Arab daily Al-Hayat.

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Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab nations that have peace deals with Israel and have diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. Other Arab nations have said they won't establish ties with Israel until it signs peace deals with the Palestinians and Syria.

Al Khalifa said in the interview that a regional organization should be formed "even if we don't recognize each other."

In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly a day earlier, Sheik Khaled called for such a Mideast organization to include countries without exception.

Asked by Al-Hayat if it would include Israel, he replied, "With Israel, Turkey, Iran and Arab countries. Let them all sit together in one group... This is the only path to solve our problems."

"Why don't we all sit together even if we have differences and even if we don't recognize each other? Why not become one organization to overcome this difficult phase?" the paper quoted him as saying.

Few Arab governments are likely to accept a permanent regional forum with Israel. When the first Israeli-Palestinian peace deals were reached in the 1990s, Arab countries quickly quashed proposals that were floated that Israel be allowed to join the Arab League. Iran, which rejects the peace process with Israel, is even less likely to join a regional block with it.

Many Arab governments, dominated by Sunni Muslims, also view mainly Shi'ite and Persian Iran with suspicion, fearing it is trying to extend its influence in the Gulf and the rest of the region through its allies in Syria and Lebanon.

Bahrain - a pro-Western island nation with Sunni rulers and a Shi'ite majority - is a close U.S. ally and hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Earlier this year, it appointed the Arab world's first Jewish ambassador as its envoy to Washington.

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1.	This is certainly interesting	14:15	\|	Michael A. Shoemaker	01/10/08

2.	Reason to hope in a New Year!	14:25	\|	Daniel	01/10/08

3.	like the UN but with Israel as a minority of 1	14:27	\|	Avi	01/10/08

4.	We will see the future unfold after two years	14:46	\|	Natallie Durson	01/10/08

5.	GREAT... but first Israel must make peace	15:11	\|	Ray	01/10/08

6.	what-so-called israel	15:19	\|	Imad	01/10/08

7.	Kudos to Bahraini FM Al Khalifa & no, Ray, they must both make -	15:35	\|	ivo	01/10/08

8.	Imad	15:55	\|	Jane	01/10/08

9.	I am wondering, what is it that you want? lol if no thing is good	15:58	\|	Simon	01/10/08

10.	Bahrein is a puppet state	16:02	\|	Rowan Berkeley	01/10/08

11.	I have a dream	16:37	\|	senegalese	01/10/08

12.	Praise for Bahraini FM	16:41	\|	Yosi	01/10/08

13.	Peace talks are needed. NOT more talk about war or threats!	16:42	\|	Tom Clark	01/10/08

14.	Bahrain is teh best ally America has in the Middle East	17:40	\|	American in NY	01/10/08

15.	Pupet regime seeks to please masters	18:16	\|	Ron	01/10/08

16.	Same Nation That Publicly Justifies Sex With Children	18:26	\|	Baruch Gold	01/10/08

17.	Al Khalifa makes no preconditions	18:41	\|	Yonatan	01/10/08

18.	WHAT`S THE POINT? ISRAEL REJECTED ARAB OFFER	18:42	\|	Dan	01/10/08

19.	Wish for plenty swallows for spring!	19:10	\|	H.H.M	01/10/08

20.	Glad Bahrain is an American ally	19:22	\|	Gina	01/10/08

21.	The Jewish state, should not seek to make peace at any price.	19:36	\|	Jean Van Daem	01/10/08

22.	Natallie: "no one will seat with Israel"...? And if they do...	19:50	\|	Israeli citizen	01/10/08

23.	Distraction to lull	20:02	\|	Brod	01/10/08

24.	Peace in ME	21:19	\|	Valdi	01/10/08

25.	Boohoo Nuttalie, Dan and Ray	21:42	\|	Michael	01/10/08

26.	To #21 War is not the answer to Israels problems.	22:02	\|	Tom Clark	01/10/08

27.	love fest #2	22:08	\|	Harriet	01/10/08

28.	peace will come	22:34	\|	alan	01/10/08

29.	He sounds like a wise man	22:34	\|	elinor from Iran	01/10/08

30.	#5 Ray - Give Peace???? That`s what we pray for every day fool	22:56	\|	B`Galil	01/10/08

31.	Develop peace through mutual respect, not land give aways	23:36	\|	Great White North	01/10/08

32.	#21-it should and it will...	23:49	\|	yezmar	01/10/08

33.	that only took 40 years	01:31	\|	alan	02/10/08

34.	Great News-Send Bibi- end.	01:57	\|	Steve	02/10/08

35.	For a Forum to be fruitful	02:01	\|	Shimon cleopas	02/10/08

36.	NOT all Arabs regard the Pals as innocent saints.	05:22	\|	PETER SM	02/10/08

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14:00 Bahraini FM calls for Mideast forum that includes Israel, Iran