Muscat, Interior Minister, General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, chaired Bahrain’s delegation at the meeting of the Interior Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held here today.
The Interior Minister delivered the following speech:
"I’m glad to express sincere thanks and appreciation to the Sultanate of Oman for hosting the meeting and for the great hospitality. I’m also glad to express gratitude for the support and care provided to the joint GCC security action by Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, along with their dedication to strengthening ties, unifying GCC and Arab stances and achieving consensus under various circumstances, thanks to our common elements and solid values that are based on religion, language, blood relations, land and humanity.
Therefore, we should safeguard our unity, in the midst of the unfolding situation around us, and not allow attempts to cast doubt on our stances or disturb the security and stability of our nations to affect us.
Regarding the current Gaza crisis, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa affirmed the Kingdom of Bahrain's firm stance in support for a two-state solution, according to the Arab Peace Initiative, in a way that guarantees the right of the Palestinians to establish their independent state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Your Highnesses and Excellencies, in the midst of the current operations in Gaza and the delicate situation in the region, we are prompted to intensify our security cooperation and solidarity. It affirms the significance of coordinating mutual support for civil protection purposes among the GCC countries, in which the regional situation, security developments and the GCC principles require promoting joint GCC security action.
Out of concern for the security and stability of GCC society, in general, and given the potential danger posed by the growing cases of illegal immigration, with their negative cross-border repercussions and connection to organised crime, I have submitted to your esteemed council a proposal in this regard to formulate a joint action strategy against illegal immigration. The proposal shall be a foundation for any required legislation to deal with this phenomenon within the framework of new unified legal procedures.
Finally, I’m glad to hail the outcomes of the meetings of concerned work teams and joint security efforts to promote security capabilities in confronting challenges. I wish our meetings success in promoting joint GCC security."
The ministers discussed topics aimed at strengthening joint GCC security cooperation. They were also informed about the recommendations of the specialised security committees.
They adopted the unified GCC tourist visa. They also endorsed a proposal to study the establishment of a joint GCC committee for law enforcement officials to combat corruption. They also agreed to complete the project to link traffic violations across GCC countries electronically.
Winners of the Prince Nayef Award for Security Research were also honoured.
Source: Bahrain News Agency