Gulf Arabs chart delicate course between Iran and U.S

By Lin Noueihed - Analysis

DUBAI (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush will seek Gulf Arab leaders' support this week to curb Iran, but may find these traditional U.S. allies more wedded to their own diplomatic drive after long frustration with his policies.

Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have watched nearby Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories slip into crisis and Iranian influence spread rather than wane during Bush's seven years in office.

"The royal families in the Gulf are looking at the Bush visit with slightly weary resignation and perhaps a vain hope of making a case that they absolutely need the Palestinian-Israeli peace process to work ... and on the Iran issue," said Gerd Nonneman, Professor of Arab Gulf Studies at Exeter University.

"On the one hand they want a joint diplomatic strategy to avoid a nuclear-armed Iran but also they are saying we think we can engage Iran more effectively. We think we can take the sting out of this by engaging with Iran."

Sunni-ruled Gulf Arab states, including heavyweight Saudi Arabia, have long eyed their large and ambitious Shi'ite neighbour with unease, but have engaged Iran publicly this year.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Saudi King Abdullah for the first time in March. He became the first Iranian president to be officially invited to the Muslim haj pilgrimage in the Saudi city of Mecca in December.

Earlier that month, Qatar invited Ahmadinejad to a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). He was the first Iranian leader to attend the Sunni Arab-dominated body, though his comments did not put minds at ease. He also visited Bahrain.

Such high-level engagement raised some eyebrows in Washington; but for Gulf Arab states on Iran's doorstep -- some like the United Arab Emirates with long-established trade ties with the Islamic Republic -- talking makes sense, analysts say.