KUWAIT CITY, 18 December 2003 — Foreign ministers of the Gulf Arab states meet here to draw up the agenda for the Gulf summit on Dec. 21-22, which will focus on combating terrorism, the situation in Iraq and economic integration.
Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are expected to formulate a consensus opinion on Iraq’s desire to join the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sabah said earlier this month that the summit will discuss readmitting Iraq into a number of GCC bodies, but ruled out full membership.
The council expelled Iraq from a number of sports, educational and social councils after its invasion and occupation of Kuwait in August 1990.
GCC Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Al-Atiyya has said the leaders would focus on the fight against terror and the situation in Iraq.
A special expert committee has finalized a draft agreement on fighting terrorism that had been reviewed by the GCC interior ministers. Al-Atiyya hoped the summit will approve the agreement.
According to AFP, other issues that will be reviewed by the foreign ministers include a proposal to issue a single Gulf passport for GCC nationals. They will also review a “charter for educational reforms” that was approved by the education ministries in the member states.
Economic integration issues will also be taken up by the foreign ministers who should make specific recommendations to the leaders on progress in the customs union, monetary union and a single currency.
The GCC states have already launched the customs union at the beginning of 2003, but are facing a number of snags. They have also decided to implement the monetary union by 2005 and introduce a single GCC currency by early 2010.
The customs union is an important step for moving to the next phase of establishing a Gulf common market, for which a timetable will be worked out.
