GCC summit is held amid challenges -- Al-Zayani

MANAMA, Dec 5 (KUNA) -- The 37th session of the GCC Supreme Council (the GCC summit) is held amid quite significant regional challenges, affirmed the GCC Secretary General.
These political, security and economic challenges warrant solidarity and cooperation among all the GCC member states and relentless action to attain merger among them, said Abdullatif Al-Zayani in an interview broadcast by the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) on Monday.
He indicated that agenda of the GCC summit, due on Tuesday, includes various files related to political, economic, security and social cooperation, as well as examining reports filed by the Ministerial Council, committees and the General Secretariat.
Current economic conditions constitute some of the major challenges facing the GCC states, he said.
The GCC countries had already taken steps at this level, endorsing the joint economic treaty, setting up the common market and the customs union.
Elaborating, Al-Zayani re-affirmed the GCC states' resolve to face security threats. "They will not hesitate to take all necessary measures to safeguard their security, stability and defend their sovereignty and interests," he stressed.
The GCC countries have taken an unwavering approach for upgrading their security and military potentials for defense purposes and safeguarding achievements that have been made throughout the years, Al-Zayani added.
He rejected, anew, foreign intervention in the regional countries' affairs for such meddling contradicts with international laws and threatens the Gulf security and stability, noting the UN prime role in this regard.
On the Syrian refugees' plight, he underscored the GCC countries' efforts at the public and private levels to help them, noting that the GCC states along with other countries had pledged more than USD seven billion to aid the Syrians.
Kuwait had hosted three international conferences grouping countries pledging support for the Syrians affected by the war. A fourth one was held in London.
Regarding Yemen, Al-Zayani said the GCC countries had given substantial financial support for the legitimate government to help it deliver relief supplies to those in need in the war-stricken nation. For its part, Saudi Arabia had established King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid to coordinate humanitarian operations in Yemen, with a special budget estimated at one billion Saudi riyals (SAR=0.266505 USD). (end) mga.rk