12 December 2013
KUWAIT CITY - Six Gulf Arab nations wrapped up a summit meeting in Kuwait on Wednesday by agreeing to establish a joint military command and police force, paving the way for tighter security coordination.
A communique issued at the end of the two-day Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit said that the Supreme Council agreed to establish the joint military command and assigned the Joint Defense Council to take necessary measures to put this agreement into effect.
The GCC leaders also approved a proposal for setting up the Gulf Academy for Strategic and Security Studies and welcomed the UAE proposal to host it.
The Gulf leaders ratified the decisions of the Joint Defense Council of GCC member states and expressed appreciations of the executive measures taken to bolster joint military action. The latest of which was the GCC Defense Ministers' laying of the foundation stone of the coordination center for maritime security in Bahrain.
The leaders agreed to establish a joint Gulf police force. "The Supreme Council ratified the draft resolutions to establish a joint Gulf police force, stressing that the new body will boost security and help expand security and anti-terror cooperation and coordination among member states," the communique said. The leaders welcomed the new Iranian leadership's "new" approach vis-a-vis the GCC states, as well as welcoming the recent nuclear agreement between Tehran and the P5+1 group.
They welcomed the "new approach of the Iranian leadership toward the GCC countries," hoping these will be followed by "concrete steps in order to reflect positively on peace, security and stability of the region."
The GCC leaders underlined importance of strengthening relations between their countries and Iran on the basis of good neighborliness, non-interference in internal affairs, respect of sovereignty of regional countries and refraining from the use or threat of the use of force.
The leaders welcomed the preliminary agreement signed between Iran and the P5+1 group - the five UN Security Council (UNSC) permanent members plus Germany - in Geneva on last November 24 .
They said the agreement was a first step toward a comprehensive and permanent agreement over the Iranian nuclear program, which would end regional and international concerns, as well as boost regional security and stability.
This permanent agreement, hoped the leaders, would contribute to clearing the region from weapons of mass destruction (WMD) including nuclear weapons.
The Iranian nuclear agreement should be fully implemented under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
But the leaders expressed concern over Iran's plans to build more atomic power plants.
Abdullatif Al-Zayani, GCC Secretary-General, said after the summit: "The Council expressed concern regarding announcements over plans to build more nuclear reactors on the banks of the Gulf that threaten the environmental system and water security."
The GCC called for the withdrawal of "all foreign forces" from Syria, where Iran-backed Shiite militias from Iraq and Lebanon are supporting regime troops.
The communique "strongly condemned the continued genocide that (President Bashar) Al-Assad's regime is committing against the Syrian people using heavy and chemical weapons... calling for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syria."
"Pillars of the Syrian regime whose hands had been stained by the blood of the Syrian people must have no role in the transitional government or Syria's political future," it said.
The GCC leaders also voiced support for the Syrian National Coalition's decision to attend the Geneva 2 conference "as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people."
In pursuit for full economic integration among the GCC member states, the Gulf leaders approved a series of rules to complete integration among Gulf financial markets, the communiqué said.
The Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) endorsed a number of unified rules for integration of the financial markets of the member states.
The Council reviewed the follow-up reports of water linkage and security project. It was also briefed on the work on establishment of the monetary union of the GCC states and the measures taken to create the Gulf common markets. The Council was also apprised of the start of the Gulf railway to be completed in 2014 to pave the way for launching and operating it by 2018 as scheduled. The Council also underlined the necessity of going ahead with the plans to achieve integration in all economic aspects.
The GCC leaders praised calls made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on reforms of the UN Security Council so it would conduct its duties and responsibility toward security and international peace.
They commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's stance which reflected a "historic concern over Arab and Islamic worlds issues," and represented its commitment toward international legitimacy, including its sincere wishes to activate the UN Security Council's role and all United Nations agencies. The GCC leaders welcomed the US efforts to revive the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, while condemning Israeli's settlement policy, and its unjust siege and annexation of Arab lands.
The leaders said the comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East would only be achieved through the Israeli full withdrawal from Arab lands it occupied in 1967, the establishment of the independent Palestinian state with East Al-Quds as its capital in line with relevant UN resolutions and the Arab peace initiative.
They hoped the peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis would succeed, calling on the international community to continue support for the peaceful quest of the Palestinian people to win their "legitimate rights."
They condemned the Israeli government's settlement policy, the unjust siege and annexation of Arab territories in complete violation of UN resolutions, which constitute a stumbling block against the peace efforts.
They called on the international community to take concrete measures to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Al-Zayani read the Kuwait Declaration in which the GCC leaders called for activation of the economic resolutions to contribute to prosperity of the GCC peoples.
They called for achieving development projects in order to honor aspirations of the Arab Gulf people.
They called for implementing all resolutions that have not been implemented for the general benefits of their peoples.
They underlined the importance of continuing all efforts to achieving economic integration, including the removal of all obstacles facing the creation of the common Gulf market and the custom union in order to boost trade exchange.
They called for completing all requirements for the establishment of the monetary union with the objective to reaching the single Gulf currency, in compliance with the Economic Agreement.
The GCC leaders called for speeding up the integrating infrastructure projects of railway, electricity and water linkage, as well as preservation of the environment.
They blessed all efforts aimed at investing the energy of youth to backing relations and cooperation among the youth in the GCC countries.
They assigned the GCC Secretariat to communicate with people in the Gulf countries to closely get acquainted with their views and proposals aimed at cementing the common action.
The leaders voiced relief at the role of their countries to backing many Arab states suffering from economic troubles.
KUWAIT CITY - Six Gulf Arab nations wrapped up a summit meeting in Kuwait on Wednesday by agreeing to establish a joint military command and police force, paving the way for tighter security coordination.
A communique issued at the end of the two-day Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit said that the Supreme Council agreed to establish the joint military command and assigned the Joint Defense Council to take necessary measures to put this agreement into effect.
The GCC leaders also approved a proposal for setting up the Gulf Academy for Strategic and Security Studies and welcomed the UAE proposal to host it.
The Gulf leaders ratified the decisions of the Joint Defense Council of GCC member states and expressed appreciations of the executive measures taken to bolster joint military action. The latest of which was the GCC Defense Ministers' laying of the foundation stone of the coordination center for maritime security in Bahrain.
The leaders agreed to establish a joint Gulf police force. "The Supreme Council ratified the draft resolutions to establish a joint Gulf police force, stressing that the new body will boost security and help expand security and anti-terror cooperation and coordination among member states," the communique said. The leaders welcomed the new Iranian leadership's "new" approach vis-a-vis the GCC states, as well as welcoming the recent nuclear agreement between Tehran and the P5+1 group.
They welcomed the "new approach of the Iranian leadership toward the GCC countries," hoping these will be followed by "concrete steps in order to reflect positively on peace, security and stability of the region."
The GCC leaders underlined importance of strengthening relations between their countries and Iran on the basis of good neighborliness, non-interference in internal affairs, respect of sovereignty of regional countries and refraining from the use or threat of the use of force.
The leaders welcomed the preliminary agreement signed between Iran and the P5+1 group - the five UN Security Council (UNSC) permanent members plus Germany - in Geneva on last November 24 .
They said the agreement was a first step toward a comprehensive and permanent agreement over the Iranian nuclear program, which would end regional and international concerns, as well as boost regional security and stability.
This permanent agreement, hoped the leaders, would contribute to clearing the region from weapons of mass destruction (WMD) including nuclear weapons.
The Iranian nuclear agreement should be fully implemented under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
But the leaders expressed concern over Iran's plans to build more atomic power plants.
Abdullatif Al-Zayani, GCC Secretary-General, said after the summit: "The Council expressed concern regarding announcements over plans to build more nuclear reactors on the banks of the Gulf that threaten the environmental system and water security."
The GCC called for the withdrawal of "all foreign forces" from Syria, where Iran-backed Shiite militias from Iraq and Lebanon are supporting regime troops.
The communique "strongly condemned the continued genocide that (President Bashar) Al-Assad's regime is committing against the Syrian people using heavy and chemical weapons... calling for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syria."
"Pillars of the Syrian regime whose hands had been stained by the blood of the Syrian people must have no role in the transitional government or Syria's political future," it said.
The GCC leaders also voiced support for the Syrian National Coalition's decision to attend the Geneva 2 conference "as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people."
In pursuit for full economic integration among the GCC member states, the Gulf leaders approved a series of rules to complete integration among Gulf financial markets, the communiqué said.
The Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) endorsed a number of unified rules for integration of the financial markets of the member states.
The Council reviewed the follow-up reports of water linkage and security project. It was also briefed on the work on establishment of the monetary union of the GCC states and the measures taken to create the Gulf common markets. The Council was also apprised of the start of the Gulf railway to be completed in 2014 to pave the way for launching and operating it by 2018 as scheduled. The Council also underlined the necessity of going ahead with the plans to achieve integration in all economic aspects.
The GCC leaders praised calls made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on reforms of the UN Security Council so it would conduct its duties and responsibility toward security and international peace.
They commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's stance which reflected a "historic concern over Arab and Islamic worlds issues," and represented its commitment toward international legitimacy, including its sincere wishes to activate the UN Security Council's role and all United Nations agencies. The GCC leaders welcomed the US efforts to revive the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, while condemning Israeli's settlement policy, and its unjust siege and annexation of Arab lands.
The leaders said the comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East would only be achieved through the Israeli full withdrawal from Arab lands it occupied in 1967, the establishment of the independent Palestinian state with East Al-Quds as its capital in line with relevant UN resolutions and the Arab peace initiative.
They hoped the peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis would succeed, calling on the international community to continue support for the peaceful quest of the Palestinian people to win their "legitimate rights."
They condemned the Israeli government's settlement policy, the unjust siege and annexation of Arab territories in complete violation of UN resolutions, which constitute a stumbling block against the peace efforts.
They called on the international community to take concrete measures to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Al-Zayani read the Kuwait Declaration in which the GCC leaders called for activation of the economic resolutions to contribute to prosperity of the GCC peoples.
They called for achieving development projects in order to honor aspirations of the Arab Gulf people.
They called for implementing all resolutions that have not been implemented for the general benefits of their peoples.
They underlined the importance of continuing all efforts to achieving economic integration, including the removal of all obstacles facing the creation of the common Gulf market and the custom union in order to boost trade exchange.
They called for completing all requirements for the establishment of the monetary union with the objective to reaching the single Gulf currency, in compliance with the Economic Agreement.
The GCC leaders called for speeding up the integrating infrastructure projects of railway, electricity and water linkage, as well as preservation of the environment.
They blessed all efforts aimed at investing the energy of youth to backing relations and cooperation among the youth in the GCC countries.
They assigned the GCC Secretariat to communicate with people in the Gulf countries to closely get acquainted with their views and proposals aimed at cementing the common action.
The leaders voiced relief at the role of their countries to backing many Arab states suffering from economic troubles.
© The Saudi Gazette 2013
