GCC SECRETARY GENERAL ABDUL-RAHMAN AL-ATIYYAH SAID THE MEETING OF THE GCC FOREIGN MINISTERS AND THEIR EGYPTIAN AND JORDANIAN COUNTERPARTS WITH US SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE HERE LAST NIGHT WAS CONTINUATION TO MEETINGS RECENTLY HELD IN NEW YORK ON THE FRINGES OF THE MEETINGS OF THE UN'S GENERAL ASSEMBLY. IN A PRESS STATEMENT, AL-ATIYYAH POINTED OUT THAT THE GCC MEMBER STATES ARE KEEN ON ENHANCING THE PILLARS OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE REGION. HE NOTED THAT AT YESTERDAY MEETING A NUMBER OF TOPICS INCLUDING THE ARAB-ISRAELI DISPUTE, REPERCUSSIONS OF THE WAR LAUNCHED AGAINST LEBANON AND THE SITUATION IN IRAQ WERE REVIEWED. HE HOPED THAT THE MEETING WOULD POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO SUPPORTING THE PEACE EFFORTS WHICH HAVE BEEN FROZEN DUE TO ISRAEL'S INTRANSIGENCE AND COVETOUSNESS. AL-ATIYYAH SAID PEACE WILL COME THROUGH A JUST AND COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT BASED ON THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY. HE EXPRESSED ANXIETY OVER THE DETERIORATING SITUATION IN IRAQ, AND SAID THE GCC MEMBER STATES DO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS THAT AIM AT THE PRESERVATION OF IRAQ'S UNITY AND IDENTITY. ON THE SITUATION IN DARFUR, AL-ATIYYAH SAID THE MEETING OF CAIRO HAD DISCUSSED THE ISSUE. HE REITERATED SUPPORT TO THE EFFORTS EXERTED BY SUDAN, THE ARAB LEAGUE AND THE AFRICAN UNION TO REALIZE SECURITY AND STABILITY IN SUDAN.
