GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL FOREIGN MINISTERS CONCLUDED THEIR 102ND SESSION HELD IN RIYADH TONIGHT UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA. ABDULRAHMAN BIN HAMAD AL-ATIYYAH, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE GCC, ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETING. FOLLOWING THE MEETING, A JOINT STATEMENT WAS ISSUED. THE MEETING WAS BRIEFED ON THE CONTACTS AND CONSULTATIONS HELD BETWEEN THE GCC ON ONE HAND AND THE EUROPEAN UNION, CHINA, MERKSOR GROUP, AFTA COUNTRIES, JAPAN ON THE OTHER. THE MEETING URGED NEGOTIATORS TO EXPEDITE THE PACE OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THESE PARTIES. THE COUNCIL DEALT WITH SEVERAL JOINT WORK FILES, INCLUDING POST, COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, HEALTH , EDUCATION, LABOR , SOCIAL AFFAIRS, CULTURE, MILITARY COOPERATION, SECURITY COORDINATION AND ECONOMIC ISSUES. ON TERRORISM COMBATING, THE COUNCIL CONDEMNED THE TERRORIST ACT THAT CLAIMED THE LIVES OF FOUR FRENCH NATIONALS IN SAUDI ARABIA RECENTLY, SENDING THE MINISTERS' CONDOLENCES TO THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT, PEOPLE AND RELATIVES OF THE VICTIMS. --MORE
