Secretary General of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council Abdulrahman al-Atiyyah has reiterated the importance of making the Middle East region, including the GCC states, free from weapons of mass-destruction. Replying to questions raised by pressmen here on Saturday evening, Al-Atiyyah said "the GCC views usage of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes as a legitimatize matter, otherwise we should be vigilant." On the issue of printing caricatures of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), Al-Atiyyah said he had confirmed to Javier Solana, the representative of the political and security affairs at the European Union (EU), the condemnation of the GCC pertaining to publication of cartoons of the Prophet (PBUH). Al-Atiyyah underlined the importance of dialogue among civilizations, religions and cultures, and said 'I have proposed some proposals which conform with the stances of the Secretary General of the Jeddah-based Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmel-eddin Ihsanoglu which call for issuance of an international resolution that prevents offending beliefs and Prophets. Al-Atiyyah expressed grief and sorrow for such acts which would have no positive impact on the relations of the Muslim world with the EU. 'Moreover, I have emphasized to Solana the disapproval of the GCC states to any act of abusing individuals , properties and diplomatic missions, and I have made it clear that such practices run counter to the teachings of Islam', he elaborated.
