President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan attends the 26th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) annual summit opened in Abu Dhabi, Dec. 18, 2005. (Xinhua photo)

ABU DHABI, Dec. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Leaders of six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states called here Monday for a Gulf region free from nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction amid rising concerns on Iran's high-profile nuclear issue.

    The call was made at the end of a two-day annual summit of the GCC, a regional alliance grouping Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar,Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    However, a final declaration, read out by GCC Secretary General Abdul Rahman al-Attiya, did not single out the Iranian nuclear case nor voiced the alliance's specific stance over the issue.

    The Gulf Arab alliance expressed "regret" over the lack of progress in talks between the group and Iran over regional stability and security, according to the declaration.

    Iran's nuclear issue, drawing great world attention and closely watched by Gulf Arab countries, has been a key topic during the GCC summit.

    The alliance has earlier urged Iran to stick to the peaceful nature of its nuclear program and tackle the issue logically with western countries and Gulf Arab countries to avoid escalating tensions that might spill over to the Gulf area and do harm to the oil-rich region.

    "We have confidence in Iran, but we don't want to see the Iranian nuclear reactor, which is closer to our coast than to (the Iranian capital) Tehran, as a cause of perils and damages to us,"Attiya said earlier.

    Delegates to the summit said although the GCC has been concerned over Iran's nuclear program, the alliance tries to avoid provoking Iran and espouses a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue.

    Yousif bin Alawi, Oman's Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs,was quoted by UAE's official WAM news agency as saying that the GCC did not intend to impose any pressure on Iran and that the group wanted to maintain good relations with its Shiite-dominated neighbor.

    Meanwhile, the GCC has declared that it will not mediate between the United States, which accuses Tehran of developing nuclear weapons under a civilian front, and Iran over the nuclear issue, saying Washington has not asked for GCC mediation.

    Talks between Iran and the European Union designed to settle Tehran's nuclear case have been in deadlock and a new round of negotiations are expected to start later this month.

    Iran insists that its nuclear program is peaceful and devoted to meeting rising demand for electricity, categorically denying Washington's charge of nuclear weapons ambitions.

    Meanwhile, GCC leaders urged Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and subject its nuclear facilities to international inspection.

    Officials of the GCC countries have termed Israel's nuclear weapons as a threat to regional stability and security.

    Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, the only nuclear power in the region, rousing great concerns in Arab countries, which have fought five wars with the Jewish state.

    Israel has never admitted or denied that it has nuclear weapons.

    Separately, the GCC calls for resolving a dispute over three islands between the UAE and Iran through peaceful means, urging Tehran to make positive response.

    The three islands of Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa at the mouth of the strategic Hormuz strait have been both claimed by Iran and the UAE.

    The UAE has recently proposed to refer the issue to the International Court of Justice for settlement, but rejected by Iran. Enditem