Gulf ministerial meeting approves 35 items for Doha summit

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ministerial meeting which concluded its works yesterday evening under the chairmanship of the Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jaber al-Thani approved 35 items relating to various issues and topics and files to be debated at the 23rd GCC summit due to be held in Doha on December 22nd.

High ranking diplomatic sources said in conclusion of the meeting that the approved items were the result of the recommendations of the reports of the various submitted ministerial committees during their meetings in the few past months.

In a press conference, the Qatari foreign minister announced that it was agreed during the ministerial meeting to agree on most of the item which will be submitted to the GCC leaders. He described results of the meeting as good.

Replying to a question on whether the low representation of the Saudi Arabian delegation will affect the meeting, the Qatari foreign minister denied any impact for such a representation which was at the level of the deputy foreign minister. He explained that "the level of representation to the meeting is a decision decided by each and every country, and we honor that." He added "as far as there is a representative for the state in this meeting, this constitutes a presentation."

The Qatari foreign minister also denied the existence of any impact on the meeting as a result of Qatar's differences with other sides at the GCC. However, he indicated should there were differences, "they can be settled by brotherly means with any side."

He added that among the main issues which took a great deal of the discussion in the meeting were the economic questions and means of revitalizing the Gulf joint economic work. He also denied the meeting to have had discussed the question of the American military bases in the region, noting that the meeting discussed in general the Gulf - American relations.