By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: The 31st summit of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was inaugurated at the Emirates Palace here Monday evening by United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Welcoming the leaders of GCC states, Sheikh Khalifa said: “In the name of god I declare the opening of the 31st GCC summit. Peace, mercy and blessings of god be upon you.”
“I am pleased to welcome you in your second home country, the UAE, and wish success for this meeting.”
On this occasion, Sheikh Khalifa also thanked Abdul Rahman bin Hamad Al Attiyah for his sincere efforts during his tenure as secretary general of the GCC and welcomed Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani as the new secretary general of the council.
At the two-day summit, the six GCC states – Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE – are expected to reiterate the regional security as a top policy priority, which has been a major concern to them since the establishment of the GCC in May 1981.