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EU major partner for GCC - Zayani

GCC, EU agree on closer ties




GCC, EU agree on closer ties

24/05/2015

DOHA-- The GCC and EU ministers has underlined the importance for further strengthening bilateral ties to serve a solid and effective base for regional and international stability and security.

In a joint statement at the conclusion of the 24th GCC-EU meeting, held Sunday, both sides welcomed the enhancement of their political dialogue, notably through the holding of regular GCC-EU Senior Officials meetings, noting in particular the most recent one held in Brussels on 5 May 2015.

The ministers exchanged views and identified common concerns and priorities with regard to the situation in the region, notably on Yemen, Iran, Libya, Syria, Iraq and the Middle East Peace process.

They took note of the Riyadh Conference May 17-19 and agreed on the need to find a solution to the Yemeni conflict on the basis of the UN Security Council Resolution 2216, the GCC initiative and the outcome of the National Dialogue Conference.

They also addressed global issues of common interest, in particular the fight against terrorism, and strongly condemned the heinous attack against worshippers in Qatif, Saudi Arabia on 22 May.

They underlined the strategic importance for the EU and the GCC to coordinate closely on these developments.

The GCC and EU ministers reviewed progress in the GCC-EU relationship and endorsed the minutes of the latest Joint Cooperation Committee meetings in Brussels on 4th May 2015.

The ministers expressed determination to address together common political, social, economic, and security challenges. They lauded the remarkable growth in the trade exchange which hit 148 billion euro in 2014, compared with only 100 billion euro in 2010.

The ministers welcomed cooperation initiatives undertaken since the last ministerial, notably through the GCC-EU dialogues on the economy, air transport, the energy experts group, exchanges on railway transport, trade with a focus on sanitary, phytosanitary and standardization issues, as well as cooperation on economic diversification in the context of the upcoming 21st UNFCCC Conference of Parties to be held in Paris in December 2015.

They looked forward to expanding GCC-EU relations through increased people to people contacts, and further cooperation in the social, economic, educational, cultural and scientific fields, and human rights.

The GCC and EU ministers agreed to hold their next meeting in the EU in 2016.

EU major partner for GCC - Zayani

24/05/2015

 Image result for ‫الزياني‬‎

DOHA-- The European Union (EU) has been a key partner for the Gulf cooperation Council (GCC) since the six-member bloc was established in 1981, according to GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani.

Al-Zayani told the 24th GCC-EU ministerial meeting that started in Doha on Sunday that the prime aim of the gathering is to work on enhancing security and stability in the region. The GCC will also benefit from the European experience of regional integration.

He referred to the GCC-EU Cooperation Agreement signed in1988 as crucial for bolstering bilateral cooperation. Since then, scores of joint specialized meetings have been held, including the ministerial gatherings, whose 23rd session was held in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2013.

The GCC-EU activities included the third round of a civil aviation dialogue held in the Qatari capital only last week, as both agreed on the necessity of reactivating the role of joint teams on air transport, navigation and safety.

The fourth round is to be held by the end of the year to carry on with the dialogue for a comprehensive agreement in the field.

According to Al-Zayani, the EU is the GCC's top trade partner; bilateral trade hit USD 184 billion in 2014, compared to USD 125 billion in 2010. Imports from the European 28-member bloc constitute round to 68 percent of the figure.

The GCC chief expressed hope for further cooperation with the EU in all fields. He stressed the need for concluding an overall vision for cooperation priorities over the coming period amid the political, security and economic changes in the region, especially the emergence of terrorist groups and e-piracy.

In addition, Al-Zayani called for consolidating scientific and academic cooperation.


 














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