(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
by Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Executive Director of the Emirates News Agency, WAM ABU DHABI, 11th December, 2018 (WAM) -- During its meeting in Riyadh, chaired by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, with the participation of the His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the 39th Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, Summit has conveyed important messages.
The meeting also pointed out that the GCC countries are much stronger than their differences and must continue planning and cooperating together for 2025 and beyond while stressing their unity and their desire to continue integrating their procedures, developing a joint defence system, continuing to hold the summit, and creating a roadmap to achieve economic integration within seven years, which are the GGC's real successes.
The summit clearly highlighted the unity of the GCC and its members and reiterated the objectives and goals of the council, which was established in 1981 to protect the Arab Gulf family from security threats against the region.
The summit's closing declaration on joint defence stressed the importance of creating a joint Gulf military command, to plan and conduct joint military operations to face potential threats, under the framework of a joint defence agreement that was ratified in 2013.
The declaration also highlighted the importance of fighting extremist ideology, committing to the rule of law, and cooperating with the GCC's partners in the international community to fight terrorism. The GCC noted that it is combatting terrorism and extremism on behalf of the Arab region and the world, and is supporting and protecting legitimate governments and improving the organisational performance of its member governments, to face chaos, extremism and the false media.
The declaration also affirmed the ongoing causes of the GCC, most notably the Palestinian cause and its support for Iraq's stability and legitimacy in Yemen, as well as its humanitarian duties towards friendly countries.
The summit also drafted a roadmap to accelerate the integration between GCC countries, represented by the Joint GCC Market, the Customs Union and achieving economic union in 2025.
Standards of success are different from person to person and from country to country, but no one can argue that the appointment of the Commander-in-Chief of the GCC Joint Military Forces and the drafting of a roadmap to achieve economic union are signs of the GCC's success.
The declaration handed the UAE, the patron of determination and loyalty, the responsibility of hosting the next summit.
WAM/Hazem Hussein/MOHD AAMIR
MENAFN1212201800610000ID1097819085
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