Cementing GCC-US ties through dialogue and diplomacy will be the main objective of the Gulf bloc’s summit meeting with President Obama tomorrow, said Abdullatif Al-Zayani, secretary-general of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
By The Plu and agencies
RIYADH: US president Barack Obama arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to attend a crucial summit with Gulf Arab head of states.
Cementing GCC-US ties through dialogue and diplomacy will be the main objective of the Gulf bloc’s summit meeting with President Obama tomorrow, said Abdullatif Al-Zayani, secretary-general of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
Al-Zayani said that the summit would focus on peace and security in the Gulf and the Middle East besides economic partnership and development.
“The summit is designed as a demonstration of the inviolability of relationship between the Gulf states and Washington against the backdrop of the deal with Iran and the turmoil in the region.”
It will be preceded by talks between Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Obama before the US president addresses the summit of all six GCC states on Thursday, joined by defence secretary Ashton Carter and secretary of state John Kerry.
Mr Obama is seeking to focus discussions on efforts to end the wars in Syria and Yemen. On Monday Syrian peace talks appeared to fall apart in Geneva when opposition leaders walked out.
And on Tuesday, the UN envoy to Yemen sought to persuade the Houthi rebels to send representatives to peace talks in Kuwait after they refused to attend.
Also likely to be discussed are Gulf Arab concerns that the lifting of international sanctions against Iran in January will embolden Tehran to adopt a more assertive foreign policy across the region.
Iran is backing the Houthis in Yemen against the internationally-recognised government, which is supported by a Saudi-led military coalition that includes the UAE.
