Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (photo), Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense chaired on Tuesday the 15th Joint GCC Defense Council meeting, stressing that the GCC’s Ministers of Defense should work toward more military cooperation and joint defense, as “ongoing events in the region make it incumbent upon us to cooperate and coordinate our efforts to meet future challenges,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
“We look forward to discussing all topics on the agenda of the meeting and putting it into effect,” the Deputy Crown Prince said.
“We also look forward to discussing the outcome of the Camp David meeting, which included strengthening the military and security strategic partnership with the United States for more stability in the Gulf region,” he added.
The 15th Joint GCC Defense Council meeting was attended by heads of delegations of the GCC countries, including UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs Mohammed Al-Bowardi, Minister of Defense of Bahrain Lt. Gen. Yusuf bin Ahmed Al-Jalahma, Minister Responsible for Defense Affairs of Oman Sayyid Badr Saud Al Busaidi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Defense Affairs Dr. Khalid Al-Attiyah and Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Khalid Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah.
The GCC Defense Ministers stressed the importance of boosting the joint action, and accelerating the completion of various defense integration requirements in order to live up to future challenges and threats, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.
At a press statement issued after concluding the ministerial meeting, the Council expressed appreciation and gratitude to the sponsorship of the GCC joint action by member-countries.
The GCC Defense Council’s members expressed their strong condemnation of targeting Makkah Al-Mukarramah with a ballistic missile by the Houthi militias as a flagrant violation of Islam's holiest shrines.
The Council reviewed the steps taken to implement the unified military commandership and its affiliated unites, in addition to completion of its required facilities and equipment.
It also reviewed the military committee’s proposal on raising public awareness toward the Gulf national identity through promoting the military marches and accomplishments of member-countries, praising GCC’s various media efforts in that regard through holding symposiums and lectures, and organizing Gulf week events and field trips to Gulf joint action related-facilities.
The members discussed the strategic dialogue and cooperation between GCC countries and the United States in line with the outcomes of the Camp David meeting, which include promoting and enhancing the military and defense strategic partnership with Washington to ensure stability in the Gulf region.
