BRUSSELS — Top European Union and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) officials Monday underlined their intention to deepen and strengthen the relations between the 27-member European bloc and the six-member GCC.

“We are both going to chair an important meeting of the EU and the GCC. It shows the importance of the Gulf, not because at the moment we have some security concern related with energy, because in a permanent basis the EU has to engage more,” EU High Representative Josep Borrell said.

Borrell statement's came during told a joint news conference with the Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan, ahead of the EU-GCC ministerial meeting Monday afternoon. Saudi Arabia is the current chair of the GCC.

“We are first investor in the region and second trade partner but politically we are not at the same level. Our relations have to be enhanced and I think this is the good moment to do so. This is going to be the first step for stronger and deeper relations,” he stressed.

On his part, the Saudi foreign minister expressed his appreciation to Borrell for hosting the 26th EU-GCC joint commission. “We have strong relations in the economic side but it is important that we continue this high-level consultations,” said Prince Farhan.

“We will be talking about regional security and international peace but also the agenda that is the most important which is the international cooperation vis-i-vis climate change, vis-a-vis energy security but also deepening our strong bonds and ties between our two blocs,” he said.

“So we look forward to a very interesting conversation today, and all GCC ministers are happy to be here today,” he added.

Borrell said he hopes to release the new joint communiqué (strategy) on relations between the GCC and the EU later Monday. He also announced that the EU is going to appoint a special representative for the Gulf adding that security issues in the region and the Middle East is very important for us.

Prince Faisal said they are following closely the ongoing talks on the Iran nuclear deal and noted that the EU has an important role to play in the security of the Gulf. The GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. — KUNA