GCC chief underlines Arab summit timing as “critical and delicate”

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi said on Wednesday that the 33rd Arab summit due in Manama on Thursday comes at a critical and delicate time for the international community and regional countries, chiefly the Palestinian cause. Al-Budaiwi made the remark to reporters while launching the new identity of the Gulf Press Union (GPU) in Manama, in the presence of Bahraini King's Media Advisor Nabil Al-Hamar and Minister of Information Ramzan Al-Nuaimi. He added that the GCC member countries throw much weight behind the 33rd Arab summit of Arab leaders. He pointed out that the GCC countries have responded to the Israeli occupation since the first day of its aggression and barbaric attacks on the Gaza Strip, by convening an extraordinary GCC meeting in Muscat and pledging USD 100 million in aid to the enclave. The GCC chief underlined that the GCC plays a crucial role in beefing up Arab integration and unifying Arab views at all levels, vowing to continue efforts to back all Ara b causes. For his part, Secretary General and Chairman of the Gulf Press Union (GPU) Isa Al-Shaiji commended the King of Bahrain for hosting the GPU headquarters since it was established in 2005, and thanked the GCC chief for attending the identity launching ceremony. He vowed that his union would seek resolutely to advance the Gulf press domain, notch up further gains for journalism, and safeguard the rights and interests of journalists. Source: Kuwait News Agency