The Joint Council for Cooperation between the countries of the Riyadh-based Gulf Cooperation Council and the Brussels-based European Union agreed during their 18th session held at the ministerial level in Brussels today on the need to take effective steps to work actively towards the implementation of the Joint Convention in1988 in all areas covered by the Convention. The meeting, which was attended by representatives from member states of the GCC and the GCC's Secretary General Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, the rotating President of the European Council and representatives of the European Commission, welcomed the projects relating to public diplomacy of both the GCC and the European Union and to developing the cooperation in the field of energy. The Joint Council also expressed welcome of the progress made in free trade negotiations, stressing that the two sides are on their way to reach an agreement. Both sides discussed areas that need to achieve further progress on both political and commercial fields. Both sides welcomed the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for dialogue among divine religions and also underscored the importance of respecting other religions and cultures and rejecting all forms of intolerance and hatred. --More
