Foreign Minister attends GCC-Central Asia strategic dialogue

Riyadh , Sept. 7 (BNA): Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, participated in the first joint ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Central Asian countries. The GCC side was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Chairman of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. As for the Central Asian side, the meeting was attended by Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Republic of Turkmenistan, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Kazakhstan. GCC Secretary General also took part in the meeting. Dr. Al-Zayani delivered a speech at the meeting in which he expressed his appreciation for all the efforts that were made to hold this meeting, with the aim of promoting cooperation and further develop relations between the two sides in various fields, and to underline the depth of the historical and cultural relations that link the countries and people of GCC and Central Asia. During the meeting, they discussed the friendly relations between GCC and Central Asian countries, and ways to promote further cooperation in various fields, and develop mutual interests for the benefit of their people. A joint statement was issued following the meeting in which the two sides welcomed the inaugural ministerial meeting of GCC-Central Asia strategic dialogue, stressing their commitment to establishing a solid partnership between their countries, based on common values and interests, the deep historical ties between their people and the existing cooperation between them at the bilateral and multilateral levels.