Kuwait defense minister calls for military alert amid challenging times

RIYADH, Nov 8 (KUNA) -- It is imperative for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states to put their militaries on a raised level of alert given the turbulent turn of events around the world, Kuwait's Defense Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Al-Sabah said on Tuesday.
Underlining the need to ratchet up military capabilities within the six-nation bloc, the Kuwaiti minister told a gathering of his GCC counterparts in the Saudi capital that more defense cooperation would be instrumental in keeping potential foreign threats at bay.
He praised host-nation Saudi Arabia for the kingdom's meticulous efforts in organizing these talks, pointing out that such gatherings are significant to bolster interactions among the armed forces of Gulf Arab countries. He went on to praise the "joint" military endeavors involving the armies of GCC member states, saying such collective initiatives paved the way for remarkable achievements that helped strengthen the region's defense capabilities.
The talks revolved around current happenings on the international stage, added the minister, underlining that no effort would be spared to keep the region's security and stability intact. (end) mdm.nam