Brussels, Jan 15, IRNA,
US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said Monday that the American forces will stay for a long time in the Persian Gulf region, but also spoke of an opportunity for engagement with the Islamic Republic.
"The US has had a strong presence in the (P) Gulf for a long time.
"Stability in the (P) Gulf is in the long-term a vital strategic interest of the United States," Gates told reporters after a meeting with the NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Brussels.
He stressed that the US is going to maintain a strong presence for a long time in the Persian Gulf in the future.
Gates was replying to a question on the motive behind Washington's decision to deploy a Patriot missile battalion and a second aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf region.
The new US defence secretary was making his first visit to NATO headquarters Monday.
Asked to comment on the Baker-Hamilton report on Iraq which recommends diplomatic engagement with Iran, Gates pointed out that that he co-chaired the US Council on Foreign Relations study on ties with Iran in 2004 with the former US national security advisor Zbigniew Brezinski.
"Our conclusion at that time was it would be useful for the US to engage with Iran and it appeared to be promising because the Iranians were clearly concerned by the presence of American troops on both their eastern and western borders and there was evidence that they were doing something that was helpful inside Iraq.
"None of those conditions apply any longer."
The Iranians clearly believe that we are tied down in " Iraq, that they have the initiative, that they are in position to press us in many ways."
"My view is that when the Iranians are prepared to play a constructive role in dealing with some of these problems then there might be opportunities for engagement."
Gates noted that US Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has said that she will sit down any time, any place with her counterpart from Iran if they commit not to enrich uranium.
"So the opportunity is there for engagement but I would say the initiative needs to rests with the Iranians."
"We are simply trying to communicate to the region that we are going to be there for a long time.
For his part, the NATO chief said they discussed the situation in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Iraq in the meeting.
"It was a very fruitful meeting," said Scheffer.
"Success in Afghanistan is our top priority," stressed Gates.
NATO has 30,000 troops under its ISAF mission in Afghanistan.
Gates is expected to visit the Persian Gulf area, including Iraq, and also Afghanistan soon.
He arrived in the Belgian capital from London after holding talks with British officials Sunday.