(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) BRUSSELS, May 16 (KUNA) -- The European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell on Tuesday welcomed the decision to appoint former Italian foreign minister Luigi Di Maio as the EU's special envoy to Gulf Cooperation Council member states, highlighting the 27-member bloc's "attachment" to the region.
"This is a very good development and step to developing the new strategy," as contained in the EU joint communication on a Strategic Partnership with the Gulf of 18 May 2022," Borrell's spokesman said in a statement.
The EU diplomat will be "engaged in efforts to take this strategy further to foster and deepen the partnership with the Gulf region," added the statement, giving some clarity on the new role.
On his part a well-known analyst on the Gulf, Dr. Christian Koch, Director of the Gulf Research Center Foundation in Geneva, described the appointment as a "good move," which is a testament to the importance the EU has given to relations with the Gulf," he told KUNA.
"The fact that there is now a focal point in which all the different strands of the EU policy can be brought together will be essential in order for better coordination and policy effectiveness," he added.
He went on to underline the importance that the newly-appointed EU envoy makes a visit to the Gulf region as soon as possible, which will demonstrate the "seriousness," of the new post," he added, emphasizing that the appointment "could not have come at a better time. (end)
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