MUSCAT, 29 October — The six-member GCC states have established a joint defense council, Oman’s Minister in Charge of Defense Affairs Badr ibn Saud Al-Bousaeedi announced here yesterday.
"We’ll announce the formation of the joint defense council which was approved by the last GCC summit. We’ll also hold its first meeting," Bousaeedi told a meeting of GCC defense ministers here.
He said the meeting will also discuss establishment of a higher military committee, an affiliate of the joint defense council.
Opening the meeting, Bousaeedi called upon the member states to stand united in the face of new regional and international challenges.
He was referring to the US threat to launch a military attack on Iraq. The Muscat meeting was expected to discuss ways of developing a joint military force and a number of military projects.
GCC Secretary-General, Abdul Rahman Al-Atiyya, said the ministers will discuss ways to upgrade the Peninsula Shield — a joint defense force maintained by the GCC member countries.
The GCC states contribute troops to the 5,000 strong force based in Saudi Arabia but now want to expand that to 22,000 troops.
