(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, Oct 6 (KUNA) -- Talks between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and European Union (EU) encapsulate the mutual commitment to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two regional blocs amid existential security challenges, Kuwait's Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya said on Monday.
Hosting the latest round of ministerial-level talks between the six-member bloc and the EU, Kuwait seeks to ratchet up its ties with international partners through its current position as head of the GCC ministerial level council, the Kuwaiti minister told a joint press conference with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and GCC secretary general Jasem Al-Budaiwi.
These efforts aim to forge new "strategic partnerships" in a bid to preserve development and prosperity at a time where challenges have become widespread, the minister underlined, citing a common ambition between the EU and GCC to translate the results of the talks into concrete and tangible realities on the ground.
The Kuwaiti foreign minister went on to praise the EU's "active" participation amid the talks, which he said was a testament to its commitment towards strengthening its relations with the Riyadh-based bloc, which subsequently enhances regional and global peace and stability, he said.
On the focal points of the talks, the EU's foreign policy chief said that boosting broad cooperation and ties across various fields was the key issue discussed, in the wake of the inaugural EU-GCC summit held in Brussels last year.
Current happenings around the region was another core matter addressed, the EU official said, mentioning the situation in the Gaza Strip and developments Syria and Lebanon as cases in point, while she pushed diplomacy as key in facing regional and global challenges.
Hailing the longevity in GCC-EU relations, which date back more than four decades, the former's chief praised the EU as among the six-member bloc's most "prominent partners," highlighting regular bilateral talks as instrumental in keeping ties on an upward trajectory. (pickup previous)
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