Leaders of the Arab Gulf States (GCC) convened their 10th Consultative Summit Meeting here Tuesday under the chairmanship of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and discussed latest developments in the region. They urged for the early resolution of the conflict in Lebanon and called upon the international community to protect the rights of Palestinians. They underscored the continued intransigence of Israel and oppression of the Palestinian people, which the international community must reject. The consultative meeting of the GCC leaders is being held outside of Riyadh, the seat and headquarters, for the first time. The GCC meeting was timed with the 75th anniversary of Saudi Aramco, which was inaugurated by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. During his visit to Eastern Province, the King will open a number of facilities in the region, including education institutions, hospitals, and infrastructures In the press conference held after the meeting at the Khaleej Palace, Dammam, Abdul Rahman Bin Hamad Al-Attyia, GCC Secretary General, said the leaders expressed concern over the continuing conflicts in Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia and Sudan. The leaders also stressed the importance of respecting the sovereignty and unity of Iraq besides preserving its Arab and Islamic unity, and the importance of reaching a peaceful solution to Iranian nuclear issue, Atiyyah said. The meeting called for the denuclearization of the region and emphasized the right of a country to acquire and use nuclear expertise for peaceful purposes, he said. The meeting also underscored the UAE's rights to restore its sovereignty on its lands and called on Iran to reconsider its stand to find a solution to the issue of the three islands – Greater Dhnub, Smaller Dhunb and Abu Mousa. The leaders expressed their pleasure in signing the agreement of construction of Qatar-Bahrain causeway. Those who arrived included Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahayan, President of UAE; Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Qatari Emir; King Hamad Bin Eisa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti Emir and Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al-Saeed, Omani Deputy Premier for Cabinet Affairs. – with inputs from SPA __
