WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Although major non-NATO ally status countries are not members of NATO, they are considered as strong US allies and granted certain defense and security cooperation privileges with NATO, according to the US Department of State.
"We are open to discussions on that topic,” Rhodes replied when asked whether the United States was prepared to offer GCC states major non-NATO ally status. “Some of them have that status already, and so I think we are open to a discussion in that area.”
On Thursday, Obama and GCC leaders from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are meeting at Camp David in the US state of Maryland to discuss a number of regional security cooperation issues, including ballistic missile defense.
