AlQa'dah 1, 1433, Sep 17, 2012, SPA -- Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Sheikh, Speaker of the Saudi Majlis Al-Shura (Consultative Council) arrived in Brussels today leading a Shura councils, houses of representatives, national assemblies delegation of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), scheduled to hold talks with the European Parliament aiming at further enhancing relations between the GCC and the European Union countries and expanding bilateral cooperation in different fields. At Brussels International airport, he was received by Saudi ambassador to Brussels Faisal bin Hasan Trad, a number of officials of the Saudi embassy in Brussels and the Saudi diplomatic mission to the EU. Dr. Al Al-Sheikh's delegation consists of Dr. Khalid bin Hilal Al-Mewali, Speaker of Oman's Majlis Al-Shura, and a number of representatives of the GCC parliaments. On the agenda of the delegation were a number of issues of mutual concern to the two parties, including the political developments in the region, the move of the GCC from cooperation to unity phase, the legislative developments in the GCC member states of interest to the European side, ways of enhancing parliamentary relations, the outcome of the ministerial GCC European conference in addition to issues relating to human rights, women rights, freedom of expression, and GCC citizens entry visas to EU countries. The trade size between the GCC and the EU countries amounted to 129 billion Euro, it was reported.
