King Abdullah received the Secretary General of the GCC, Abdul Rahman Al-Attiyah, Sunday ahead of the gathering, which although it has no set agenda will seek to achieve greater cohesion and cooperation between GCC states in a variety of areas.
A Gulf official said that particular focus would be given to the Mideast peace process following the renewal of indirect negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis and the efforts of the US administration to push the process forward.
According to the official, GCC leaders are expected to reiterate calls to respect the Iraqi electorate and the greater interest of the country following delays in the formation of a government, and urge Iran to respond to peaceful efforts to resolve the crisis with the West over differences on its nuclear aspirations. They will also reaffirm the need to rid the region of weapons of mass destruction.
The summit will further seek to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism, drug smuggling, organized crime and money laundering, and in that respect Kuwait will sign a security agreement to add its name to the rest of the GCC states that signed it in 1994.
The summit will also look at plans for a GCC railway, and results of the joint Gulf market committees and governors of central banks and monetary organizations, and consider conclusions from its “Ministerial Council” of GCC foreign ministers concerning a study presented by Bahrain on modernizing the work of the GCC.
