Gulf foreign ministers to meet with Powell

In the light of the annual tradition, the Gulf Cooperation council (GCC) states foreign ministers will be meeting with the US secretary of State Colin Powell on the sideline of the meetings of the UN General Assembly during the current month, September.

Gulf sources said that despite the fact that the meeting is an annual tradition, however, it has a special significance this year in light of the great concern shown by the GCC states towards the Israeli military escalation in the Palestinian territories and the position regarding the ME peace process and the consequences of all these developments on stability on the region as a whole.

The sources added that the GCC member states will urge the US administration to carry out a more effective role to halt the Israeli aggressions in the Palestinian territories and will explain the impact of current developments in the region on the stances of the Arab states and their political orientation.

Among issues to be also discussed in the meeting are the developments in the Gulf region and the efforts made to amend the sanctions law imposed on Iraq.

Worthy mentioning that the GCC and the US agreed to hold periodical meetings among themselves.