Panel suggests new name for GCC

The GCC consultative committee met here yesterday and proposed to change the name of Gulf Cooperation Council to Arab Gulf Union Council. Muhammad Al-Rasheed, chairman of the committee, proposed the new name and hoped the new move would speed up integration of GCC states. He commended Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for making his proposal at the last GCC summit to transform the council into a powerful union to confront growing challenges. The GCC leaders have instructed the consultative committee to study a new strategy for youths, ways to enhance the spirit of citizenship, a strategy for employment in the public and private sectors, formation of a united commission for civil aviation, tackling noncontagious diseases and a GCC confederation. He commended the committee for conducting studies on global warming, climate change, unification of efforts in translation and Arabization, promoting the Arabic language and alternative energy resources. He thanked GCC leaders for appointing him chairman of the committee. He commended the achievements made by the committee in the past, adding that some of its proposals have already been implemented. Al-Rasheed emphasized the need to implement the resolutions taken by the Supreme GCC Council as many of them are still awaiting execution. He referred to the stormy developments in the Arab world and urged the committee to provide the GCC leaders with necessary advice to reinforce security and stability in member countries. “Security and stability cannot be achieved without unity. King Abdullah has emphasized this point during the last summit,” he said. “Transforming the GCC into a union is not a luxury. It is essential for our success. Past and present events have proved that we cannot achieve safety and security without unity and without standing together firmly against potential dangers,” Al-Rasheed told the committee. “We should consider any danger affecting a member country as a danger for all members and work together to confront it. We should also strengthen the organizations that serve all member countries.” He stressed the need for establishing economic, political, security and military organizations to strengthen the GCC’s integration process. Abdullateef Al-Zayani, secretary-general of the GCC, congratulated Al-Rasheed as well as vice president of the committee Sheikha Mariyam bint Hassan Al-Khalifa for winning the confidence of GCC leaders.