GCC interior ministers sign key security agreement

The GCC interior ministers have today signed a key security agreement as they convened for their 31st meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Interior Minister His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Nayef Al-Saud chaired the session which sealed the convention. GCC Secretary General Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani hailed the agreement which earned the approval of the GCC leaders in their consultative summit in Riyadh last May. The agreement has since been amended to meet the requirements of the current phase as the GCC member countries seek to beef up their collective security and protect their achievements. Dr. Al-Zayani hailed the deal as an important step forward to step up security cooperation between member states in all fields. The ministers paid tribute to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdulla bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown prince, Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and the Saudi Government for ensuring the success of the haj (pilgrimage) season. They lauded the efforts of outgoing Interior Minister Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, congratulating his successor Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on his appointment. They strongly condemned the recent terror blasts in Bahrain which claimed the lives of innocent civilians and policemen, extending condolences to His Majesty the King, the Government, Bahraini people and the grieving victims’ families and wishing the injured prompt recovery. The ministers threw their weight in solidarity with Bahrain, backing all the measures it has undertaken to maintain its security and stability and protect its hard-won achievements. They also discussed a project to set up a GCC police, giving directives to study the legal and technical aspects of this vital scheme thoroughly. The session was updated on Bahrain’s approach regarding the recent acts of violence and terror as well as the security threats and defamatory media campaigns orchestrated against the GCC member states. The ministers discussed security cooperation with other friendly countries and international groups, stressing the importance of bolstering collective security. They also approved the proposal of Qatari Minister of State for Interior Affairs Shaikh Abdulla bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani to rename the GCC Security Research Award as a posthumous tribute to late Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud in recognition of his efforts to bolster GCC collective security cooperation. AHN