GCC interior ministers met in Abu Dhabi on Dec 7 and agreed to set up a joint police force. “Security chiefs of member countries will meet soon to complete studies on all aspects of the force,” a final communiqué said after the meeting. The ministers from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and the UAE also agreed to set up a permanent security committee to oversee the safety of industries and other vital installations. “We should also renew the security agreements among the GCC member countries to cope with new developments,” the communiqué quoted the ministers as saying. A special panel will prepare the new draft agreement.
The meeting reiterated the solidarity of GCC countries. “The security of Gulf Cooperation Council is a single entity and any threat to the security of a member country would be considered as a threat to the GCC as a whole,” the communiqué said. It also reviewed security coordination and cooperation among the six countries in wake of new developments in the region. It reiterated the group’s resolve to eliminate all forms of terrorism and extremism.