Seminar examines role of Arab Gulf states in EU-Asia Connectivity

BRUSSELS, Oct 16 (KUNA) -- The long-term stability in the Arab Gulf region is in the interest of both the European Union (EU) and China, according to a former senior EU diplomat.
James Moran, a former EU ambassador to Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen, called on the in-coming new European Commission to give priority to ths issue of stability in the Arab Gulf.
He was speaking at seminar on the "role of the Gulf States in EU-Asia Connectivity" organised by the Bussola Institute in Brussels on Tuesday evening.
Moran, who is now senior research fellow at the prestigious think-tank Centre of European Policy Studies, proposed a revival of the stalled EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement.
He said that the EU and China have common interests in the Arab Gulf region but also lamented that the EU has no specific strategy on the Arab Gulf region.
Speakers at the seminar examined the changing geopolitical situation of the Arab Gulf, the impact of the US retreat and the roles of China and the EU in the region.
Nasser Al Tamimi, a political analyst and author, said all GCC countries want good relations with both the EU and China.
He noted that China's political and economic relations in the Arab Gulf will row and expand in the coming years.
Xia Xian, minister at the Chinese mission to the EU, said that both the 28-member European bloc and China are important trading partners of the six-member GCC.
He said that the EU and China should forge a meaningful connectivity with the Gulf region.
Omar Al Ubaiydi, research director at the Bahrain Centre for Strategic, international and energy studies, noted that the EU, GCC and Asia are well onnected through the Gulf's strong aviation sector as well as through energy and economic sectors.
Both the EU and GCC are positive contributors to the UN multilateral system and both regional organisations are keen to contribute to peace and stability in the world he said.
Speakers also highlighted the energy factor and the role of the Gulf as an aviation hub in promoting this connectivity.
They also pointed out to the large expatriate communities in the Arab Gulf states in promoting conncectivity, in particular people-to-people contacts. (end) nk.mb