JEDDAH, 23 December 2003 — The Gulf Cooperation Council leaders have approved a pact to combat terror, adopted steps to speed up economic integration and welcomed US plans to transfer power to the Iraqis.
At the conclusion of the 24th GCC summit in Kuwait City yesterday, the leaders said the pact would coordinate the efforts of member states to fight terror following a spate of bomb attacks in Saudi Arabia.
“Expressing keen interest in boosting joint security cooperation and coordination to fight terror, the summit approves the signing of the GCC agreement to combat terrorism,” said the final communiqué read by Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Al-Atiyya.
The accord calls for security coordination, exchange of information, strengthening security networks and drying up sources of terror financing.
“The GCC will take all measures to protect its security and stability...enforcing the principle of combined security of member countries,” the Kuwait declaration said. The conference threw its support behind all diplomatic efforts to achieve peace and stability in Iraq, the declaration added.
The summit was attended by Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, Emir Sheikh Jaber of Kuwait, King Hamad of Bahrain, Emir Sheikh Hamad of Qatar, Sheikh Maktoum, vice president of the United Arab Emirates, and Fahd ibn Mahmoud Al-Saeed, deputy premier of Oman.
The next summit will be held in Abu Dhabi in December 2004. The summit condemned the brutal terror attacks in Riyadh and commended the efforts of Saudi security forces to foil terror attacks and arrest militants.
“The summit voiced its solidarity with Saudi Arabia and backed the measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its security,” the communiqué said.
The GCC leaders rejected attempts to link Islam with terrorism.
The summit called for “distinguishing between terrorism and the rights of people in the legitimate struggle to liberate their territories in accordance with international law,” referring to the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation.
In a number of measures aimed at accelerating the pace of economic integration, the summit approved legislation to outlaw dumping practices — a key obstacle to the smooth implementation of the customs union launched in January 2003 — and reaffirmed their commitment to set up a monetary union and a single currency in 2005 and 2010, respectively.
An information center will be set up in Riyadh to link the GCC customs departments, another important step to promote the implementation of the customs union.
The leaders also vowed to ease the free flow of goods between their countries. They also committed themselves to a single GCC passport after “technical details” are worked out.
“They agreed to allow GCC citizens to travel member states carrying their personal IDs,” the communiqué said.
The leaders authorized the GCC consultative council to assess the group’s performance over the past 23 years and propose ways to promote inter-GCC trade, and strengthen the private sector’s role.
“There is a pressing need to strengthen GCC institutions and committees to improve their performance and achieve quick implementation of decisions,” the Kuwait Declaration said.
The leaders called for practical steps to implement the comprehensive development strategy adopted at a previous summit.
Many Gulf analysts said they expected the summit would come out with more forceful resolutions on vital issues and take more effective steps to strengthen political and economic ties.
Welcoming the US plans to speed up the transfer of power in Iraq, the summit said it was “ a step in the right direction for the Iraqi people to run their own affairs.”
The leaders condemned the “genocide” committed by the former regime against Kuwaiti and third-country prisoners of war and the Iraqi people, and said former Iraqi officials should be tried as war criminals.
The Gulf leaders expressed their “sympathy and solidarity with the Iraqi people” and rejected the division of Iraq, calling for “preserving its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”
They voiced concern over the difficult security situation in Iraq, and strongly condemned terrorist bombings.
But they also urged a greater UN role in Iraq to help its people determine their own future as quickly as possible.
Pointing to the 1949 Geneva Convention, the leaders reminded the US-led coalition of its duty to maintain security and stability in the country.
The conference denounced Israeli atrocities in Palestine and its move to grab more land in the pretext of establishing what it calls the security wall.
The summit urged the international community to pressure Israel to stop its provocative actions and its threats to Syria and Lebanon.
The GCC leaders also focused on the need to revitalize the United Nations to play a greater role toward achieving world peace and stability.
On other topics, the leaders reaffirmed their support for the UAE in its dispute with Tehran over three Gulf islands currently occupied by Iran.
