x x x region In an interview with the Saudi Magazine AI Yamama on13 March 1994,Sheikh Khalifa lauded the GCC progress as a rational one.

The GC has madea slow but steady progress because every thing was put inplan beforebeing implemented. It was not a haphazard affair. Over thelast decade,which is not a long period in the life of an organization,the GCC succeededto achieve a lot in terms of laying the foundations of Arabwork. Thisis in addition to other visible achievements .

Citing the European Union as example, Sheikh Khalifasaid groupingssuch as the GCC and the EU take a long time to achieve thefull objectivesfor which they had been established. The EU took a longtime to get towhere it is today. It is therefore unrealistic to expectthe GCC to overcomeall the challenges in just one decade. Other may say thatthe GCC hasbeen slow. This is fair enough, but on the other hand, itis better tomove slowly and surely than hastily and get nowhere. Ina nutshell, weare hopeful that a lot more will be achieved as long westay focused.

In an interview with the Omani News Agency on 15/11/1995to mark thesilver jubilee of Oman's national day, Sheikh Khalifa saidthat the stability of the GCC region really lies with thestrengthening of the GCC as an organization. As the GCCwas preparingfor the summit in Oman, it is important to clarify the objectives.

Commenting on the global situation, he said the summit comesat a timewhen the world is undergoing rapid changes in every facet.

It is imperativefor the GCC and indeed other regional groupings to reviewtheir strategiesto suit the global climate. The GCC has been keeping abreastthe latestchanges but the required transformation should be far-reachingso as toembrace the global changes. What is required at this criticaljunctureis a qualitative leap by the GCC in terms of policies andstrategies.

In other words, there is a need for a new concept. Pettyborder disputesby the GCC states should be resolved immediately duringthe Muscat summit.

If this is done, then the organization will get a new mometum.

"Our strength lies in our unity and in unity lies our future.

There canbe no future without a strong organization like the GCC"said Sheikh Khalifa.

Integration of the GCC economies is already in full swing.

The march forprogress is continuing.

In a statement upon his arrival in Saudi Arabia, SheikhKhalifa told theAI Sharq AI Awsat on 22/ 4 /2000, that bilateral betweenthe UAE and SaudiArabia and indeed between other member states, is just asingle aspectof the wider cooperation. It cannot in any way be consideredas an attemptfor creating internal alliances within the GCC. He citedthe formationof bilateral committees as important factor in promotingrelations.

In an interview with Asharq AI-Awsat newspaper on June 03,2003,H.H. SheikhKhalifa Bin Zayed AI Nahyan stated that the Gulf CooperationCouncil (GCC)is the unfying framework for a group of states that hadbeen brought togetherby common factors well before the establishment of the GCC.

These countriesdeveloped similar political, economic, and social blocs.

Thus, they groupthemselves together in this framework, realizing that theirunity willbear positive impacts on the unity and solidarity of theArab world whichthey always support.

In His Highness' remark on the occasion of the 30thanniversary ofestablishment of the United Arab Emirates, on December 02,2004, he said:"We will continue our efforts with our brothers in the GulfCooperationCouncil (GCC) to consolidate the joint Gulf action, revitalizingits activitiesin order to complete the building of the political, economic,social,and security integration. We are looking forward to thenext session ofthe GCC High Council due to be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain,hopingthat it will reinforce the joint Gulf action, so thatwecan attain furtherachievements".