GCC-Australia approve work plan for common cooperation

Talks between the Gulf Cooperation Council and Australia were concluded yesterday in New York. Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, led the GCC delegation. A joint statement said that the meeting came as an extension of the first joint ministerial meeting for strategic dialogue between the foreign ministers of Australia and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which was held in Abu Dhabi in March 2011. The meeting discussed key developments related to security in the region, including Syria, the peace process in the Middle East, Iran, Yemen, and reiterated their shared interest in promoting security and stability in the region. Australia stressed the active role of the GCC in promoting regional stability. The two sides welcomed the rapid growth of the links between Australia and the Council, including political, defense, security, commercial, educational and tourism links and the links between the peoples. Participants stressed the great opportunity to strengthen these links, and endorsed the recommendations of the Committee of Senior Officials on the broad outlines of the Action Plan between Australia and the GCC. The work plan will further boost broad cooperation between Australia and the GCC.