On behalf of Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chairman of the Institute of Diplomatic Studies, Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs opened here today "The Conference of Gulf Youth, Arab Gulf States From Cooperation to Union," organized by the Institute for Diplomatic Studies. Addressing the Conference, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs said in a speech delivered on his behalf by Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, "Our guests, Gulf youth, our conference is held at a time when most of the attention of the leaders, and decision-makers, and thinkers is to look after how to face current challenges and developments at political, social, economic arenas, and their effects on our countries and peoples. The escalation of confrontation between Iran and the international community over its nuclear program, its constant provocation of GCC countries in particular, continued sufferings of the Palestinian people, and the implications of what is happing in a number of countries in the region of wide political changes in the context of what has become known as the "Arab spring", all these developments require us to pause for reflection and a strong will to deal with them in the interest of GCC states, the unity of their territories, territorial integrity, civil peace, stability and growth. He added, "These threats of all kinds require the hard works of the GCC countries to shift from a current formula of cooperation to a union formula acceptable to the six countries that ensures their security, stability and durability of the economy in view of what Arab Gulf region enjoys of great importance due to its important strategic location and its possession of large reserves of oil and gas, which are the most important sources of energy in the world, in addition to increasing challenges and risks faced by the Arab Gulf, as well as the experiences of the former crises and challenges which proved to everyone that it is hard to deal individually by the Cooperation Council for the Arab Gulf States with those crises . --More
