SAUDI ARABIA: King Abdullah addresses opening session of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council saying the security of his country and that of his Arab neighbours was being targeted

Record ID: 188881

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: King Abdullah addresses opening session of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council saying the security of his country and that of his Arab neighbours was being targeted
  • Date: 20th December 2011
  • Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (DECEMBER 19, 2011) (REUTERS) (** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) PHOTOGRAPHERS AND SECURITY AT THE 32ND OPENING SESSION OF THE SIX-MEMBER GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL KUWAIT'S EMIR SHEIKH SABAH AL-AHMAD AL-JABER AL-SABAH SEATED AT THE GCC MEETING GCC SECRETARY GENERAL ABDULLATIF AL-ZAYANI SEATED WITH PRINCE SALMAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AND PRINCE MESHAL BIN ABDULAZIZ AT THE MEETING DUBAI'S DEPUTY RULER SHEIKH MAKTOUM BIN MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL-MAKTOUM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAUDI KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ, SPEAKING TO GCC LEADERS AND DELEGATES, SAYING: "Beyond the stage of cooperation and into the stage of unity in a single entity." GCC SECRETARY GENERAL/ATTENDANTS CLAPPING OMANI DELEGATION CLAPPING LOGO OF GCC COUNTRIES PHOTOGRAPHERS GCC LEADERS STANDING TOGETHER FOR PICTURES CLOSE OF KING ABDULLAH WITH SULTAN OF OMAN QABOOS BIN SAEED AND OTHER LEADERS CLOSE OF MOHAMMAD BIN RASHID AL-MAKTOUM CLOSE OF OMAN SULTAN QABOOS BIN SAEED SAUDI CROWN PRINCE NAIF BIN ABDULAZIZ WITH EMIR OF KUWAIT SABAH AL-AHMAD AL-JABER AL-SABAH WITH OTHER LEADERS SAUDI KING AND OTHER LEADERS LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 4th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5JHIZBPJRBUEP5YFDYFJ4ESXN
  • Story Text: Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah said on Monday (December 19) the security of his country and that of his Arab neighbours was being targeted, in an apparent reference to regional rival Iran, and called for Gulf Arab states to close ranks in a "single entity".
    Addressing the opening session of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Kind Abdullah said the countries had to take responsibility.
    The world's top oil exporter has accused Iran of backing an alleged plot uncovered in October by the United States to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington.
    That month its Interior Ministry also blamed an unnamed foreign power for instigating a violent attack on a police station by members of the kingdom's Shi'ite minority.
    Iran has denied the charges.
    King Abdullah also suggested that the GCC needed to adapt to the new circumstances in the Middle East following the uprisings that swept some Arab countries earlier this year.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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