PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, THE FOREIGN MINISTER, GERMANY'S FOREIGN MINISTER FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, EUROPEAN UNION COMMISSIONER BENITA FERARRO AND ABDULRAHMAN BIN HAMAD AL-ATIYYAH, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL, HELD A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE IN RIYADH TODAY FOLLOWING THE 17TH JOINT MINISTERIAL MEETING FOR THE GCC AND THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU). AT THE OUTSET OF THE CONFERENCE, PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL TOLD THE PRESS THAT THE MEETING COMES WITHIN A SERIES OF MEETINGS BETWEEN THE GCC AND EU GROUPS SEEKING TO ENHANCE JOINT COOPERATION FRAMEWORKS IN ALL FIELDS AND COORDINATE ON REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES OF MUTUAL IMPORTANCE. HE SAID THE MEETING WAS POSITIVE AS STEPS TAKEN IN THE JOINT COOPERATION MARCH BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS WERE REVIEWED AND VIEW POINTS EXCHANGED ON REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES IN THE MOST HIGH SPIRIT OF FRANKNESS AND TRANSPARENCY. DESPITE MAKING GREAT STRIDES IN COOPERATION MARCH BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS, MORE STILL REMAINS, PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL SAID. WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD, FOR INSTANCE, TO SIGNING THE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT ON THE SIDELINES OF THIS MEETING, HE SAID ADDING THAT DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINT, THE AGREEMENT WILL BE CONCLUDED LATER, URGING BOTH NEGOTIATING TEAMS TO EXPEDITE WORK ON COMPLETING IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. --MORE
