(MENAFN - Arab News) Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Abulatif Al-Zayyani said the GCC countries would set up a center to monitor nuclear radiation to act as a platform to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and avoid radiation hazards.
The GCC chief addressed the third annual seminar on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and hazards posed by nuclear incidents. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) organizes the seminar in cooperation with the US Central Command (USCC). The United States, GCC countries, Jordan, Lebanon, and Yemen are taking part in the event.
Al-Zayyani said the GCC countries plan to achieve give key strategic goals in this context: the protection of the GCC against all regional and global threats, achievement of economic growth and human development at a high level. The countries would also improve their management of crises and emergencies, and boost the position op the GCC regionally and globally.
He said the GCC countries face a number of regional and international challenges, which call for the creation of more opportunities to strengthen cooperation between them and other friendly countries.
He noted that it is the right of any state to possess and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"The GCC countries give priority to strengthening their joint capabilities, such as the Peninsula Shield Force, the establishment of a regional maritime center and the establishment of an air missile defense which ensures a joint response to all biological and radiological threats," he said.
For his part, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hussein bin Abdullah Al-Qabil said the Kingdom is among the leading countries which are enjoying stability and development that earned it to host such an event.
Brig. Gen. Salih Muslih Al-Shahrani, speaking on behalf of the MoD, said it gives honor to the Kingdom to organize the seminar for the first time outside the United States, which, he said, proves the Kingdom is enjoying a prominent place and high respect by the great powers in all aspects, particularly in political and the military areas.
He stressed that the Kingdom remains committed to the Treaty of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as it is a country of peace, stressing at the same time that the Kingdom is working on a strategy for a national program for the peaceful use of atomic energy as an alternative source of energy.
He said that the five-day seminar would witness the formation of working groups, panel discussions and training exercises to promote the exchange of ideas among participants on nuclear security and coordination with various parties at the regional and international levels.
