Gulf naval forces start joint exercises
Gulf, Military, 10/3/2001

The naval forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) six member states have started joint military exercises in Kuwait on Monday.

The commander of the Kuwaiti naval forces Maj. Gen. Ahmad al-Mulla said that these exercises which will continue until the mid of October constitute a breakthrough for the joint defense agreements signed by the leaders of the GCC member states in their summit which was held in Bahrain in December 2000 and also fall in the course of co-ordination, cooperation and implementing joint naval operations among the GCC forces.

He explained that carrying out these exercises at this time has no connection to the current international conditions and that its timing was decided earlier and before the incidents in the US on September 11, adding: " but this does not mean we are far away from what is going on in the world."

In statements issued by the Kuwaiti dailies on Tuesday, al-Mulla stressed that these exercises which are named al-Tadamun 7 ( Solidarity7), started on Monday with the participation of 14 naval pieces from the GCC six member states aim at achieving the joint defense strategy among the GCC members states. He added that it is the first time in which the GCC carry out an exercise of this size.

On the other hand, the Kuwaiti minister of defense Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah denied that the Gulf naval exercise has any link to the incidents taking place in the world at the meantime. He stressed that such exercises are programmed and prepared beforehand.

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