ShareRIYADH: It is imperative for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states to put their militaries on a raised level of alert given the turbulent turn of events around the world, Kuwait's Defense Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Al-Sabah said on Tuesday. Underlining the need to ratchet up military capabilities within the six-nation bloc, the Kuwaiti minister told a gathering of his GCC counterparts in the Saudi capital that more defense cooperation would be instrumental in keeping potential foreign threats at bay.
Sheikh Abdullah praised host-nation Saudi Arabia for the kingdom's meticulous efforts in organizing these talks, pointing out that such gatherings are significant to bolster interactions among the armed forces of Gulf Arab countries. He praised joint military endeavors involving the armies of GCC member states, saying such collective initiatives paved the way for remarkable achievements that helped strengthen the region's defense capabilities.
The talks revolved around current happenings on the international stage, added the minister, underlining that no effort would be spared to keep the region's security and stability intact. He pointed out this comes from the bonds of brotherhood and common destiny of the countries and peoples of the region, which in turn push towards the continuation of work, cooperation and coordination between various military sectors, stressing the unity and territorial integrity of the GCC countries and the importance of protecting them from any external threat or aggression.
Sheikh Abdullah expressed his pride and appreciation for the great and tireless efforts of the ministers of defense of the GCC countries to support the bonds of cooperation and joint defense work between the armed forces of the countries of the region, which resulted in many achievements and tangible results, which comes as a translation of the lofty directives of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
Sheikh Abdullah praised the great role and concrete efforts exerted by the chiefs of staff of GCC states and the recommendations and studies resulting from their meetings that helped to strengthen the work to maintain the security and stability of the countries of the region and unify the defense efforts of their forces. - KUNA
