Leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have postponed a decision on a proposal submitted by Saudi Arabia two years ago to move from the stage of “cooperation” to full “union” (MEES, 26 December 2011).

GCC Secretary General ‘Abd al-Latif al-Zayyani, speaking at the GCC’s 10-12 December Kuwait Summit said consultations on this matter were ongoing among the foreign ministers. But Oman has openly spoken out against the Saudi proposal to upgrade the GCC. Oman’s Foreign Minister Yusuf bin ‘Alawi said “we are against a union, but we will not prevent it.” (CONTINUED - 368 WORDS)