Cabinet endorses GCC decision

[al-Hasani]

FULL BACKING: Crown Prince Salman chairs the weekly Cabinet meeting. (SPA)

RIYADH: ARAB NEWS

Published — Tuesday 17 December 2013

Last update 17 December 2013 3:12 am

The Council of Ministers, chaired by Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, on Monday backed the resolutions adopted by last week’s Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Kuwait to strengthen cooperation among the six-member alliance.
The final communique issued by the summit as well as the Kuwait Declaration reflected the efforts exerted by the member states to enhance cooperation and expressed GCC states’ position on major regional and international developments and issues, said Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja.
Saudi Arabia will continue to apply the unified GCC customs tariff on 193 products for three years, and the state shall bear the difference between the GCC and the Saudi tariffs.
The Cabinet also approved the application of a unified GCC law for family courts as a guiding principle for four years.
The Cabinet endorsed the GCC veterinary pharmaceutical law. As per the law, the veterinary pharmaceutical companies and factories shall be registered with the competent authority in the state, Khoja said.
The Cabinet also welcomed the resolutions taken by the Ministerial Council of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Guinea, which called for a serious and firm stand against Israeli designs to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque and Judaize Jerusalem.
The Cabinet also reviewed results of ongoing meetings at the United Nations to bring about reforms to the Security Council, adding that such reforms should protect the interests of Arab and Islamic nations.
The Cabinet appreciated the recommendations of the World Conference on Dialogue and Its Role in Defending Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which was organized by Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University.
The Cabinet also reviewed Riyadh Economic Forum’s suggestions.
The meeting approved an agreement between King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives and the Directorate of National Archives in Algeria.
The Cabinet authorized Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah to discuss with the French side a draft agreement for cooperation in health affairs. The Cabinet appointed Abdullah bin Mohammed Abuzaraa director general of the National Information Center at the Ministry of Interior; Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Ghamdi minister plenipotentiary at Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al-Hassoun secretary-general of Anti-Narcotics National Committee at the Ministry of Interior; Fahd bin Mohammed Al-Zayed adviser at the Ministry of Interior; Saad bin Abdullah Al-Assem director general of the Legal Department at the Ministry of Water and Electricity; and Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah Al-Hussein director general of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Makkah.

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[AUz]

@al-Hasani

What is Saudi Arabia's view of "Gulf Union"? A same union like EU or what? Single currency, one citizenship all across the union? Integration of militaries etc?

And why Oman and other smaller states are 'afraid' or 'unwilling' to accept such union?

 

[al-Hasani]

@al-Hasani

What is Saudi Arabia's view of "Gulf Union"? A same union like EU or what? Single currency, one citizenship all across the union? Integration of militaries etc?

And why Oman and other smaller states are 'afraid' or 'unwilling' to accept such union?

The GCC is in many ways already somewhat similar to EU. More integration is very much the intention of all member states and the decisions that are being taken all point in that direction. GCC citizens can already freely travel to other GCC states. Integration of the military is already taking place and have been discussed for a very long time.

Only Oman has shown somewhat of an unwillingness on certain areas but it is just a question of time before they will follow the party line again. I mean they are very much a part of the GCC already and continue to be so.

But only the time will tell.

There has also been talk of Yemen and Jordan joining. Iraq has also in the past voiced an interest for joining/ for improving the ties with the GCC.

It is all about the economy and security.

I mean the GCC alone nearly has a GDP of nearly 2.5 trillion (!) so there is great potential.

 

[al-Hasani]

@AUz

Given the future population growth, untapped sectors, the constant improvements in several sectors, including the financial sector, the big educated class and the 50.000 Saudi Arabian students in the USA many of whom will undoubtedly return (that is the biggest number of foreign students in the US outside of China, India and South Korea), the significant and stable economic growth in particular in KSA etc. are all great indicators for an even bigger GDP in the future for not only KSA but GCC as a whole and will only further strengthen the unions future.