The first Gulf Cooperation Council, United Kingdom summit held in Bahrain has issued the following joint communique: The Right Honourable Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Their Majesty and Highness Heads of State of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states met on 6-7 December 2016 in the Kingdom of Bahrain to reaffirm and deepen the strong partnership and cooperation between the GCC and the UK. The leaders agreed to launch the GCC-UK Strategic Partnership to foster closer relations in all fields, including political, defence, security, and trade, as well as enhancing people-to-people contact, and developing collective approaches to regional issues to advance their shared interest in stability and prosperity. The GCC and UK have a strong history in using all means at their disposal to secure their core interests in the Gulf region, including to tackle regional threats and threats to their security. The GCC and UK partners share a deep interest in supporting the political independence and territorial integrity of GCC member states. The UK remains committed to working with GCC states to deter external aggression and interference in their internal affairs contrary to international law and the UN Charter, just as it did during the Gulf War and on other occasions. The GCC and UK expressed unequivocal commitment to secure, through the new GCC-UK Strategic Partnership, their shared security interests in the Gulf region, including to deter and respond to external aggression. They committed to strengthening engagement on security assistance, cooperation and training. --More
