While battle-weary ministers go into the last of the twelve days of conference over climate control in Le Bourget without coming to a deal on saving the planet, in Riyadh the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) delegations have created a watershed on several major issues.
The call to the global community to assist in bringing an end to the often-confusing conflicts in Yemen and an immediate international conference to generate a timeline has to be lauded and followed up with total commitment.
Within those parameters the GCC summit has also squarely addressed the Syrian situation and called for a political settlement predicated to the nation’s territorial integrity. Both these calls underscore the concern in the region for a return to normality and an end to fighting between people of the same ilk.
With the call for peace comes a giant step in cooperation by a common agreement to create a borderless union based on mutual benefit and prosperity. In creating a GCC sans frontieres the region is strengthened, becomes an entity and speaks with one voice. Unlike the often parochial limitations in the European Union and a clutch of languages and cultural differences, the GCC would be bound together with a common language, a common cultural tradition and a value system based on history and a common purpose.
If this initiative were fast-tracked, the GCC would turn into a powerful and worthy unit capable of having a tangible say on the world’s stage and, in doing so, combating the negative image being propagated against the Muslim world.
The impact on trade and business, on finance and travel and tourism will be profoundly positive.
That the GCC forum on its 46th meet brought up the issue of terrorism and Islamophobia merits a certain approbation because both issues are prickly pears and it requires honesty, transparency and conviction to put them on the agenda and take them up for discussion. This shows a marked intent to tackle the problems and find solutions even if they include well-meant mediation so that the killing fields are brought to an amicable end.
This meet is, therefore, marked by many firsts, most dramatically, its agreement in principle to create a common defense shield and be the NATO of the region. This promotes security as do the other issues promote prosperity and peace.
One would not be going a bridge too far in saying that this summit is exceptional in its content and purpose and has widened the scope of its objectives and given them a robust dimension.
Perhaps it would not be too presumptuous to ask the Climate Control members embroiled in 11 days of indecision to take a page from the Riyadh conference and come to a conclusion before the day is out.
