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HM: AGCC determined to preserve progress through strategic planning

MUSCAT — The AGCC leaders began their 29th summit here at Al Bustan Palace Hotel yesterday under the chairmanship of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

His Majesty the Sultan welcomed the leaders, praying to Allah the Almighty to guide the AGCC leaders to realise further prosperity for the region.

His Majesty thanked Allah the Almighty for the achievements made so far during the blessed march of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council in various fields.

His Majesty emphasised council’s determination to preserve the achievements made by the AGCC states and strive for more strategic comprehensive development programmes.

His Majesty the Sultan underscored the need to address the global financial crisis, calling for measures to stabilise oil prices.

He stressed the importance of working with the parties concerned to tackle the situation and set it right, restore the economic and social programmes, and guarantee the continuation of international trade and cooperation among nations.

“The process should be based on a balanced economy, stable financial markets and the international banks. This requires finding a basis for the stability of oil prices that will not put a burden on consumers, meet the development requirements of developing countries and at the same time will not harm producing countries by preserving their development plans”.

His Majesty commended the efforts of the Qatari Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Khalifa Al Thani in successfully steering the work of the previous session, and following up the implementation of its resolutions and the decisions of the ministerial committees during the period of his chairmanship.

The AGCC leaders will discuss several key issues concerning the member states and the region today. Instability in Gaza will naturally dominate the agenda.

Qatar has offered to host an emergency Arab summit on the crisis in Doha on Friday, although Arab diplomatic sources in Cairo were quoted yesterday as saying some states do not favour this.

“The ministerial council has not decided about the proposed extraordinary Arab summit, and has referred the matter to the emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo on Wednesday,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal said.

“There is no point in attending an Arab summit of statements, without having the right conditions for success and influence,” the official Saudi Press Agency quoted him as saying.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit was quoted in press reports yesterday as saying such a summit “could be dangerous and subject to criticism, especially if it does not result in practical measures.”

Qatar proposed staging it in Doha.

Foreign ministers from the 22-member pan-Arab grouping are due to meet tomorrow in Cairo, where the league is based, to discuss the Israeli onslaught.

“A decision holding such a summit will be taken on Wednesday when the league’s foreign ministers meet,” the Palestinian ambassador in Cairo, Nabil Amr, said.

Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Attiyah, AGCC secretary-general, said that the speech delivered by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said was comprehensive which highlighted the importance of the AGCC’s joint action to achieve the integration among the AGCC states.


In a press statement, following the opening of the summit, Attiyah said that the summit “would discuss the Arab nation issues which concern us directly”.

“The Israeli massacres in the Gaza Strip had been the focus of discussion by the AGCC foreign ministers on Sunday and it would be discussed today and tomorrow by their majesties and highnesses, besides regional and international issues,” he added.

The secretary-general also affirmed that summit would also discuss a number of political, economic and security issues.

His Majesty the Sultan yesterday hosted a special dinner in honour of their majesties and highnesses, leaders of the AGCC states.