Gulf states consultation summit next Sunday

Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states will hold their fourth consultation summit in Jeddah next Sunday.

Well-informed sources said the leaders will exchange views on current developments in the Palestinian territories and the Arab peace initiative approved by the Beirut's summit in March. The GCC leaders will listen to detailed explanations from the Saudi crown prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz on the results of his visit to the US, results of Sharm Esh- Sheikh Summit which was held on May 11 and included President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and the Saudi crown prince.

The sources added that leaders will hold consultations on the situation in Iraq in light of the decision taken by the UN security council no. 1409 to alleviate the sanctions.

The sources expected the GCC leaders to follow up the implementation of the recent Muscat summit resolutions especially steps so far made to found the customs federation as from January 2003 and other decisions so as to enhance the GCC work progress.

Worthy mentioning that the GCC consultation summit is held without a set agenda and no final statement concluded by it.

The first consultation summit was held in Jeddah in 1999, the second was in Muscat in 2000, and the third was in Bahrain in 2001.