Kuwait set to host 30th GCC Summit

KUWAIT, December 14, SPA -- Leaders of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) hold their 30th summit in Kuwait later today amidst crucial regional and
international challenges.


This is the fifth summit hosted by Kuwait since the GCC was established in 1981.


The two-day summit will be held amidst major economic, security and political
circumstances in the region and the entire world, and the leaders of the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are set to discuss Arab, regional and Islamic
issues, as well as approving key economic projects, according to a report of KUNA.


They will launch the electricity linkage project, a key venture that will pave way
for the GCC countries to exchange and preserve electricity.


Gulf officials undelrined importance of the electricity linkage project as one of
the major economic ventures that will create huge investment opportunities for the
public and private sectors.
The venue is ready and all preparations have been finalized for the high-level
two-day summit that is scheduled to start its deliberations later today in Kuwait.


The GCC foreign and finance ministers prepared the draft resolutions and draft
final communiqué for the summit.


The draft documents deal with major regional issues including the developments of
the situations in Iraq, Palestine and Yemen as well as the Middle East peace
process.

Meanwhile, Kuwait's Foreign Under Secretary Khaled Al-Jarallah told KUNA late last
night the draft resolutions and draft final communiqué also tackled the Iranian
nuclear issue.


"The GCC states reiterated their stance highlighting the importance of finding a
peaceful settlement of the Iran-west standoff to the region's security and
stability," he disclosed.


As for Yemen, the GCC countries voiced grave concern over the ongoing violence in
the northern Yemeni areas and support for the stability, security and sovereignty
of the Arab country, Al-Jarallah said.


Among the key items of the draft communiqué are one specifying a time schedule for
the launching of the GCC monetary union, and another one on launching the GCC
railway project, he added.
--SPA 10:49 LO