GCC-Britain shared interests highlighted

Manama, Dec. 6 (BNA): The presence of the British Prime Minister Theresa May at the 37th GCC Summit in Bahrain did not go unnoticed. Two leading political experts stressed the importance of her participation which, they said, will consolidate relations between the GCC member states and Britain. In statements to Bahrain News Agency (BNA), they underscored the importance of engaging the transition from the phase cooperation to the phase of full fledged union which will give the GCC countries more economic and security leverage. London Metropolitan University political science lecturer Dr. Said Shehata stressed the crucial importance of Manama summit which convenes in the backdrop of GCC and Arab challenges, citing above all plummeting oil prices. He stressed the necessity of strengthening economic cooperation between the GCC member countries, fast-track the unified currency and the common market to boost the volume of trade exchanges. He underlined the crucial importance of GCC-British cooperation, stressing mutual interests. “The GCC countries need another partner in addition to the US”, he said adding that there is a chance of reaching an agreement between Britain and the Arabian Gulf countries. Dr. Shehata said the scourge of terrorism affects the GCC countries and the West as well, adding that security would rank high on the GCC summit agenda. Political analyst Youssef Kwilit stressed the need to move from the phase of GCC cooperation to that of full-fledged union. Asked about the presence of Prime Minister Theesa May at the Summit, he said the post-Brexit Britain wants to regain its political and economic independence, away from the EU constraints.