奧巴馬主持美海灣峯會討論伊朗和中東局勢

U.S. President Barack Obama and senior officials from six Gulf nations are continuing their summit Thursday on issues in the Middle East, including a potential nuclear deal with Iran and the fighting in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya.

The talks with the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council began with a working dinner Wednesday night at the White House before shifting Thursday to the Camp David presidential retreat about 100 kilometers north of Washington.

Mr. Obama said the meetings come during what he called a "very challenging time" in the Gulf region.

His deputy national security advisor, Ben Rhodes, told Alhurra on Wednesday that one of the goals of the summit is to examine military capabilities and ways for the Gulf countries to both work together and with the United States.

Gulf states have expressed concern about the ongoing nuclear negotiations with regional rival Iran and want to upgrade their security relationship with the U.S. They are worried that a deal would boost Iranian prestige in the region and weaken U.S. ties with other Gulf states, particularly in military matters.

White House spokesman John Earnest said Wednesday the U.S. values its security ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council.星期四，美國總統奧巴馬和海灣六國高級官員將繼續舉行峯會，討論中東問題，包括潛在的伊朗核協議以及伊拉克、敘利亞、也門和利比亞的武裝衝突。

在星期三舉行的白宮工作晚宴上，奧巴馬開始與海灣合作委員會成員國高級官員展開會談，星期四的會談將轉至位於華盛頓以北約100公里的總統度假地戴維營。

奧巴馬說，這次會議召開之際，海灣地區正面臨一個“非常具有挑戰性的時刻”。

奧巴馬的副國家安全顧問羅德斯星期三說，此次峯會的目的之一評估海灣國家的軍事能力及它們之間以及和美國的合作方式。

海灣國家對目前美國與海灣國家區域對手伊朗進行核談判表示擔憂，並希望提升與美國的安全關係。這些國家擔心核協議將提高伊朗在本地區的聲望，同時削弱美國與其他海灣國家的關係，尤其是在軍事領域的關係。

白宮發言人歐內斯特星期三說，美國很看重與海灣合作委員會的安全關係。