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May 08 2012

Iran to top GCC talks agenda

By GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN Key regional developments in the Arab world including strained relations between the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Iran will top the agenda of the consultative meeting of the GCC heads of state in the Saudi capital on May 14, GCC officials said after wide-ranging talks between Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and GCC Secretary-General Abdullateef Al-Zayani here yesterday.

King Abdullah said: "The Gulf states were committed to bolstering efforts through concerted action for peace and security. A more homogenous GCC economic bloc is the need of the hour."

"The talks between King Abdullah and GCC chief came in the context of a regional trip undertaken by the GCC chief to brief the heads of Gulf governments about the GCC's preparations for the consultative meeting," said GCC spokesman Saleem S. A. Al-Alwi.

The talks between King Abdullah and Al-Zayani were attended by high-ranking Saudi officials including Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal; Prince Muqrin , chief of General Intelligence; Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, minister of state, member of the cabinet and commander of the National Guard; and Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah, deputy minister of foreign affairs.

Al-Alwi pointed out that Al-Zayani would go to Qatar and Bahrain today to brief the officials on the GCC preparations. "The GCC chief will travel to Kuwait on Wednesday to talk to the Kuwaiti government and review the arrangements being made for the consultative meeting," said Al-Alwi. He said the agenda will be all inclusive and leaders may choose to take up any subject of concern or of regional or international importance for discussion.

The meeting will also share information and look at possible ways to solve the crises in a number of states in the region. Some of the neighboring states or those in the extended neighborhood of the GCC that are facing uprisings and violence include Iran, Yemen, Libya, Syria and Iraq as well as Afghanistan.

The meeting is also expected to "shed light on the security situation in the region and terrorism at large," said another GCC spokesman, without divulging more details.

The GCC spokesman expressed confidence that the upcoming 14th consultative meeting would advance the GCC march in all fields in a way that realizes the aspirations of the people of the GCC member states. There are also several other topics that need to be discussed by the leaders. They include aid to some neighboring states, a joint railway project and inter-GCC regional trade.

© Arab News 2012

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