RIYADH: Top GCC leaders yesterday pledged to strengthen co-operation and boost relations.
This came as Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani took part in the meeting of the 153rd session of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which was held at of the GCC general secretariat headquarters in Riyadh.
The meeting was chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister, chairman of the current session of the Ministerial Council Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
GCC Foreign Ministers and GCC secretary general Nayef Falah Al Hajraf took part in the meeting.
The council discussed the topics on the agenda, including the implemented decisions of the Supreme Council and the Ministerial Council regarding promoting the joint Gulf action, the recommendations of the relevant ministerial committees, and the reports of the general secretariat on issues related to efforts to promote Gulf co-operation in various fields.
The Foreign Ministers also discussed avenues of co-operation between the GCC and other countries and blocs through strategic dialogue, and the progress of free trade negotiations between the GCC and friendly countries.
They also discussed latest regional and international developments, the challenges facing the countries of the region, and its repercussions on regional security and stability.
The Bahraini delegation which took part in the meeting included the chief of GCC Affairs Sector Ambassador Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Eid, and the Director General of the Ministry’s Affairs Ambassador Talal Abdulsalam Al Ansari.
Dr Al Zayani also took part in the first joint ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between the foreign ministers of the GCC and Central Asian countries.
The GCC side was led by Prince Faisal and from the Central Asian foreign ministers of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan attended the meeting.
The GCC secretary general also took part in the meeting.
Dr Al Zayani delivered a speech in which he underlined the depth of the historical and cultural relations that link the countries and people of the GCC and Central Asia.
&uuid=(email))