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Riyadh: Leaders of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council will hold their ninth consultative summit in Riyadh mid- May.
The meeting, to review ways of boosting joint GCC work and the latest developments in Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon as well as Iran's nuclear programme, will be chaired by King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz.
In statements to Gulf News, a GCC diplomatic source underlined the importance of this meeting due to the critical situation prevailing in the region. He indicated that Iran's nuclear programme would be given priority in the summit discussions.
The source pointed out that the GCC states want to find a peaceful settlement to the Iranian nuclear issue and at the same time these countries believe that other countries have the right to possess nuclear power for peaceful means.
The source noted that the GCC leaders might be briefed on the latest developments of the GCC states' plan to own nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
The GCC diplomatic source explained the one-day ninth GCC consultative summit has no previously prepared agenda, as has been the case with all previous summits.
"However the summit will discuss the situation in the Gulf and the Arab world as well as the political issues that concern the GCC states," the source explained.
He pointed out that though the GCC states are concerned about Iran's nuclear activities, these countries are afraid of an American military action against Tehran, adding that such a move would have a destructive impact on the region.
Joint discussions
Meanwhile, the GCC-EU Joint Ministerial Council will hold its 17th meeting in Riyadh tomorrow.
The meeting will discuss the hot political and security issues in the region in addition to several issues of joint interest, namely economic relations between the GCC and the EU and ways to boost them, mainly establishing a GCC-EU free trade zone. The GCC Secretary General Abdul Rahman Bin Hamad Al Attiyah underlined the importance of the meeting.
"The meeting will review the latest political and economic developments in the two regions such as the GCC-EU free trade zone and the situations in Iraq, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon as well as terrorism and Iran's nuclear programme," the GCC chief said in a press statement yesterday.
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