SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL ABDULRAHMAN BIN HAMAD AL-ATIYYAH HELD TALKS HERE TODAY WITH VISITING CHANCELLOR OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY ANGELA MERKEL AT HER GUEST RESIDENCE IN RIYADH. DURING THE MEETING, AL-ATIYYAH DISCUSSED WITH MERKEL, WHOSE COUNTRY HOLDS THE ROTATING PRESIDENCY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU), THE RELATIONS BINDING THE GCC MEMBER COUNTRIES AND GERMANY, IN PARTICULAR, AND THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE GCC MEMBER COUNTRIES AND THE EU IN GENERAL. AL-ATIYYAH EXPRESSED WISH TO EXPEDITE THE PACE OF NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES TO REACH A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT. IN REMARKS TO THE PRESS FOLLOWING THE MEETING, HE SAID THE GERMAN CHANCELLOR ALSO DISCUSSED WITH HIM THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATIONS, PARTICULARLY THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE, THE SITUATION IN LEBANON AND DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ . HE SAID MERKEL UNDERSCORED DURING THE MEETING THE IMPORTANCE OF ACTIVATING THE PEACE PROCESS THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS, PARTICULARLY THE QUARTET COMMITTEE BASED ON THE ROAD MAP, INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY RESOLUTIONS AND ARAB PEACE INITIATIVE AND FORMING A PALESTINIAN NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT.
