‘Co-operation vital to secure GCC’

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has stressed the importance of co-operation among the member states of Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) for maintaining security and stability in the region. He was speaking while receiving the GCC defence ministers at the Al Rawdha Palace in Al Ain City on Tuesday in the presence of Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Sheikh Khalifa asserted that the GCC states look forward to seeing security and stability prevail throughout the region, so as to ensure further progress and prosperity for their people. The President received Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defence Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, First Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Alhamad Al-Sabah, Bahrain’s Minister of State for Defence Affairs Lt. General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Oman’s Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs Sayyid Badr Bin Saud Bin Harib Al Busaidi and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Qatar Major General Hamad Bin Ali Al Attiyah, who were accompanied by GCC secretary-general Dr Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al Zayani. President briefed During the audience, the GCC ministers of defence and the delegations accompanying them briefed the President on the plans and programmes, which are currently being studied by the GCC countries, for achieving greater defence co-operation among the member states in the light of the achievements in this area during the past years since the inception of the Council. Sheikh Khalifa wished the defence officials all success in their meeting to be held in preparation for the GCC summit which will take place next month in Saudi Arabia. He asked them to carry his messages of greetings to Their Majesties and Highnesses the Heads of GCC States. The meeting was attended by the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region Sheikh Tahnoun Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, other sheikhs, ministers, ambassadors of GCC states and senior state officials.