Gulf Arabs to talk nuclear plans at meeting

ABU DHABI, March 5 (Reuters) Gulf Arab states will discuss today progress in their plans for a joint civil atomic programme that have raised fears of a nuclear race with Iran.

Foreign ministers of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are due to meet in Riyadh after agreeing at a summit in December to study the feasibility of developing nuclear energy.

The GCC is a loose political and economic alliance which comprises Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

GCC Secretary-General Abdul-Rahman al-Attiyah, who visited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last month, said he would brief the meeting about plans to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog.

''We agreed that they will provide us with experts and there will be meetings between our experts and their experts,'' he said in Abu Dhabi before flying back to Saudi Arabia for the meeting.

''We will discuss the framework, terms of reference, and all the points that might be required for the feasibility study,'' he told reporters, without saying when it might be completed.

''Our nuclear programme will be in accordance with international criteria and full transparency. That's why we went to the IAEA,'' he added.

The GCC's decision to pursue a nuclear programme has raised concerns that Arab states may want to protect themselves if Iran acquires nuclear weapons. Gulf Arabs have expressed concern over Iran's nuclear programme which the United States says could be aimed at making bombs. Tehran says its programme is peaceful.

Six world powers are now negotiating widening sanctions against Iran for pressing ahead with its programme to enrich uranium and ignoring a Feb. 21 UN deadline to stop.

Gulf states say their nuclear programme will be used for power generation and is not linked to Iran's nuclear programme.

''We are against any military confrontation against Iran and we think peaceful dialogue is the only way to solve this issue,'' he said. ''We encourage the Iranian side to cooperate with the international side.'' REUTERS PDM PM1709