GCC COMMITS TO ANTITERROR PACT, INCREASED ECONOMIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 005805

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STATE FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/23/2013
TAGS: PREL PTER ETRD KU
SUBJECT: GCC COMMITS TO ANTITERROR PACT, INCREASED ECONOMIC
COOPERATION

Classified By: CDA John G. Moran for reason 1.4 (b)


1. (U) Summary: Wrapping up its annual summit in Kuwait on
December 22, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreed its
member states would enter into an anti-terror pact, but did
not specify a deadline. In the organization's closing
statement, the Supreme Council (SC),composed of heads of
states of the six GCC members or their representatives,
condemned recent terror attacks in Riyadh and Iraq and urged
member states to accede to the International Convention on
Combating Terror. On the economic front, the GCC ratified a
new Gulf Authority for Standardization, aimed at coordinating
efforts towards the full implementation of a planned customs
union. The SC also praised the agreement between the
Coalition Provisional Authority and the Iraqi Governing
Council to expedite the transfer of power to the Iraqi
people. End Summary.


2. (U) GCC countries agreed to conclude an anti-terror
convention during their December 21-22 annual summit in
Kuwait, which assumed the rotating presidency for one year.
Strongly condemning the Riyadh bombings and all acts of
violence, the GCC Supreme Council agreed in its final
communique that Ministers of Interior from respective member
states would sign an agreement at a later date. Acting on a
recommendation from its Interior Ministers, the SC also urged
its member states to join the UN International Convention on
Combating Terror, citing the destabilizing effects of
terrorism on the region.


3. (U) The GCC leaders also focused on increased economic
cooperation as a means to increase stability. During the
summit, the GCC Supreme Council:

-- Discussed economic integration and conducted evaluations
of reports and recommendations on economic issues. They took
note of progress regarding the planned GCC Customs Union.

-- Affirmed the necessity of the free flow of commodities and
goods between its member states, as well as the removal of
obstacles to this free flow. To this end, the SC decided to
establish a Customs Information Center at the GCC General
Secretariat, linking GCC customs agencies and facilitating

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the execution of Customs Union requirements.

-- Reviewed progress made on the joint Gulf Market
initiative, to be fully implemented by 2007. The initiative
includes a provision guaranteeing GCC citizens full rights
while in other GCC states.

-- Established that the Monetary Union would issue a common
GCC currency NLT January 2010. The decision to issue a
common currency had been previously ratified during the 22nd
session.

-- Ratified a unified anti-dumping law with an effective date
of January 2004.

-- Ratified a new Gulf Authority for Standardization, to be
headquartered in Riyadh. The organization will monitor
progress by member states on customs union implementation
issues, as well as safeguard quality standards on products
entering the GCC market.

-- Agreed to cooperate more closely on power and water issues
in the future.

-- Assigned a committee to draft a feasibility report on the
establishment of rail links between GCC states.


4. (U) On Iraq, the Supreme Council reiterated GCC sympathy
for and solidarity with the Iraqi people "in their current
ordeal." They expressed satisfaction with the new US policy
expediting the shift of power to Iraqis and welcomed the
agreement between the IGC and CPA to lay down a specific
timetable transferring power. The council also called for a
UN role in Iraq, "in order to enable Iraqis to decide their
own political future."


5. (U) Calling on the occupation forces to follow all
relevant UNSCRs and international law, specifically the 1949
4th Geneva Convention, the SC denounced the terrorist
explosions against civilians, humanitarian groups,
international organizations and diplomatic missions. (Note:
It did not specifically mention US forces. End Note.) It
denounced deliberate mass murder by the former Iraqi regime
as "flagrant, gross violations of human rights, Islamic
principles and Arab values and morals," and welcomed the
establishment by the Iraqi Governing Council of a special
tribunal to try members of the former regime.


6. (C) Comment: For all the pre-summit talk that this meeting
would chart the course of the GCC for the next ten years, the
result is what one might expect from a summit of less than
one full day. The major themes track with the GCC states'
professed interest in greater economic unity and cooperation
against the strategic threat of terrorism.
MORAN