Jordan to start talks on Gulf council admission early in September

Aug 8, 2011, 8:19 GMT

Amman - Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Monday that the inaugural session of talks for his country's admission into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) would be held early in September.

The GCC leaders, who met in Riyadh in May, agreed to allow Jordan to join their political bloc in a move then attributed by analysts to the expanding Arab revolts.

In an interview with the official Petra news agency, Judeh denied reports that feuds among the GCC's member states over Jordan's admission had prompted postponement of the discussions, which were originally scheduled to start in Saudi Arabia early in August.

'The discussions were scheduled to start at the start of the fasting month of Ramadan but the first meeting will be held after the Eid al-Fitr feast, because some of the GCC foreign ministers were unable to attend due to certain commitments,' Judeh said.

Arab media reports suggested that the first meeting was deferred after some GCC members expressed reservations over Jordan joining the pro-West gathering which comprises the hereditary regimes of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

'This is pure speculation and such reports lack accuracy,' Judeh said.

'Jordan's admission into the GCC is an old issue which is dictated by the common challenges, political coherence and geographic proximity,' he added.

Judeh contended that both Jordan and the six GCC states have 'an added value' to gain as a result of Jordan's admission to the bloc.

He alluded to the economic benefits that may accrue to his country and the strategic burdens Amman would have to shoulder in defence of the oil-rich region, particularly against Iran, diplomats said.

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