Saudi King inaugurates the 39th GCC Summit in Riyadh

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JEDDAH: King Salman inaugurated the 39th GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on Sunday, stressing on the importance of finding a political solution in Yemen and how the Palestinian cause is at the forefront of the GCC concerns.

The heads of the UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait and Qatar delegations arrived in Riyadh on earlier.

Qatar sent its State minister of foreign affairs to head its delegation to the summit, which drew criticism from Bahrain's foreign minister who tweeted: "Qatar's emir should have accepted the fair demands (of the boycotting states) and attended the summit."

The conflicts in Yemen and Syria, and tension in Iraq, are likely to top the agenda at the summit, the 39th since the GCC was established in 1981.

The leaders “will discuss a number of important issues in Gulf joint action and what has been achieved in the framework of achieving Gulf integration and cooperation in the political, defense, economic and legal fields,” said GCC Secretary-General Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Zayani.

“They will also consider the reports and recommendations submitted by the relevant ministerial committees and the general secretariat,” he said.

The GCC leaders will also discuss the latest regional and international political developments, and the security situation in the region, he said.

Al-Zayani said there were hopes that the summit would produce constructive and fruitful results that deepen Gulf cooperation and integration in various fields, and realize the aspirations of Gulf state citizens for greater solidarity, cohesion and synergy to face all challenges and maintain the security and stability of the GCC and the region in general.

The previous GCC summit took place in Kuwait in December 2017, and resulted in the Kuwait Declaration, in which the GCC leaders emphasized the role of the GCC and its keenness on preserving the gains and realizing the aspirations of its citizens for further achievements.

The GCC was formally established in May 1981 and consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

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