Saeed Al Khotani Saudi Gazette RIYADH – Leaders of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain will discuss a range of issues during the two-day 33rd Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit which opens in Manama Monday. The summit agenda includes political, economic, and security issues, in particular those relating to GCC's internal affairs. Prominent on the agenda is the proposal made by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for GCC transition from the stage of cooperation to union. The GCC leaders will also discuss developments in Syria, Palestine and in Arab Spring countries. GCC foreign ministers met in Manama Sunday to finalize the agenda for the summit, which included topics related to joint Gulf work, regional and international political issues. The Ministerial Council reviewed a host of political, economic, social, environmental, educational and health issues, and followed up on strategic dialogues and negotiations between the GCC countries and international blocs. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretariat General called on Iran to stop interfering in the domestic affairs of member countries. In a statement issued Sunday on the eve of the summit, it said any differences should be sorted out through peaceful means and direct dialogue. The statement also stated the right of the member countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, drawing attention to their concern over the Iranian nuclear program. It reiterated the position of the GCC countries, categorically rejecting the Iranian occupation of the three UAE islands. It called on Iran to resort to either direct negotiations or international arbitration to solve the issue. Any measures taken by Iran to alter the identity or the nature of one or more of the three islands, which are integral lands of the UAE territories, will be considered null and void, the statement said. On the situation in the Arab world, the statement reiterated the GCC's position on the Palestinian issue, lauding the recent UN General Assembly's resolution to grant Palestine a non-member observer status. It rejected the Israeli occupation of other Arab lands, its attempts to tamper with the sanctity of the holy city of Al-Quds and continuation of its Jewish settlements' plans.
