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Landmark EU-GCC parliamentary meeting

By Nawab Khan (with photo)

BRUSSELS, Sept 18 (KUNA) -- A parliamentary delegation from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will hold its first ever meeting with the Parliament of the 27-member European Union in Brussels on Wednesday to strengthen the partnerships between the two regional blocs.
"It will be a very important meeting. It is the first time that such a meeting is taking place. We will discuss the strategic partnership between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council," Kuwait MP Ali Saleh Al-Omair told the Kuwait news agency, KUNA, here tonight "We came here to strengthen this partnership and to profit from it as Gulf countries," he stressed noting that the European Parliament plays an important political role in the world.
The GCC parliamentary delegations held a two-hour preparatory meeting Tuesday night in order to present a unified position on issues that will be discussed with the EU Parliamentarians.
Topics like human rights, women's rights and the current developments in the Arab world are expected to be raised during the meeting between the GCC parliamentarians and the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Commitee.
Al-Omair said "we must stress our values and religious beliefs on issues like human rights, womens' rights and it is in our interest to find common denominators to cooperate and build bridges with Europe.
The Kuwaiti MP denounced the anti-Islam film which was made in the US as "terrible and very offensive" and underlined that Muslims are proud of their faith and values and noted that they wil not give any concessions in their religious beliefs and values for the sake of cooperation with Europe.
On her part, Kuwaiti Ambassador to the EU, Nabeela Al Mulla, told KUNA that tomorrow's parliamentary meeting between the GCC and the EU is a "landmark and historic one." "Such a meeting between the Shura councils and parliaments in the GCC countries and the European Union was never held before. We were hoping since many years that such a meeting would take place," she added.
The GCC Parliamentary delegation is led by Abdulla Bin Mohammad Al Al-Sheikh, Speaker of Saudi Shura Council, whose country holds the current GCC Presidency.
The GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE. (end) nk.bs KUNA 182329 Sep 12NNNN