ISLAMABAD: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said on Thursday it wants to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan in all fields.
The GCC is a regional, intergovernmental political and economic union that consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The plans to enhance cooperation were discussed by GCC secretary general Nayef bin Falah Al-Hajjraf and Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bilal Akbar, during a meeting at the council’s main headquarters in Riyadh
“The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council stresses the importance of the Gulf-Pakistan relations and the need to strengthen them in all fields,” the GCC said in a statement after the meeting.
“The meeting dealt with a review of the relations between the GCC countries with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in various fields, as well as the latest current political developments in the region, and the efforts made to coordinate to enhance security and stability.”
In April, after a gap of 13 years, Pakistan and the GCC resumed negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA).
Talks on the FTA started in 2004, but after two rounds of talks in 2006 and 2008, only a broader outline was reached.
The intention to resume the negotiations was declared during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Islamabad in 2019, but they were further delayed by the coronavirus outbreak.
