Riyadh, Saudi Arabia— The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) intends to deepen the process of dialogue with the international community in order to achieve achieve global security and stability, and resolve all conflicts through peaceful means.
This was stated by the GCC Secretary General Jassem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi while participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council of NATO and representatives of the partners in the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), headed by Mircea Joanna, Deputy Secretary General of NATO.
Held today in Brussels, the meeting also witnessed the participation of the ambassadors of NATO countries and the ambassadors of Finland, the Kingdom of Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar and the State of Kuwait via audiovisual communication.
On this occasion, the Secretary General indicated that the potential cooperation between the GCC General Secretariat and NATO, which is considered the largest military alliance in the world, is of paramount importance, especially with the existence of opportunities to effectively engage in constructive strategic partnerships and dialogues with its members.
He praised the robust and productive collaboration between the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates on one hand, and NATO, on the other, under the umbrella of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative and through NATO-ICI Regional Centre, which will celebrate its seventh anniversary next January.
Albudaiwi cited the encouraging statements made by Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, during his visit to the region on many occasions, especially during his visit to the State of Kuwait, where he asserted that “The security of the Gulf is the security of the Alliance.”
He also stated that the NATO-ICI Regional Centre has played a pivotal role in strengthening the collective understanding of NATO’s role and the significance of cooperation with the organisation within the region, clarifying that it has been instrumental in enhancing the individual capabilities of its ICI members, as well as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman.
The GCC chief also reviewed the stances of the GCC countries on regional and international issues, stressing their role in achieving global security and prosperity, which is based on development, prosperity and stability.
He indicated that the GCC has now become a strong voice on the global scene, enabling it to contribute to resolving some regional and international conflicts, through its strong partnerships with all key players in the world.
He concluded by expressing the aspiration of the GCC General Secretariat to extend a welcoming hand for cooperation with NATO across a broad spectrum of shared interests that serve the cause of regional and global peace and stability, adding that the GCC welcomes any propositions from NATO for collaborative endeavors in mutually agreed-upon domains.