RIYADH — The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Dr. Nayef Falah Mubarak Al Hajraf stressed the importance of strengthening and developing relations between the GCC and Australia, to serve common interests.

This came during a meeting with Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mark Donovan here Wednesday.

During the meeting, they reviewed the relations between the GCC countries and Australia, economic cooperation and ways of developing and strengthening them in various fields, in addition to the latest developments at the regional and international levels.

They also reviewed the latest developments of the free trade negotiations and the importance of completing them to serve the common interests of the two parties.

Also, the Strategic Partnership Working Group between the GCC states and the United States of America held its meeting here Wednesday, in the presence of GCC armed forces representatives.

Assistant Secretary for Political Affairs and Negotiations of the GCC for Arab States Dr. Abdulaziz Bin Hamad Al-Aweisheg, Assistant Secretary for Military Affairs Maj. Gen. Ahmed Ali Hamid Al Ali, represented GCC General Secretariat, while Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Dana Stroul represented the US side in the meeting.

During the meeting, they discussed aspects of strategic partnership between the GCC and the US, and ways to develop and strengthen political and military cooperation to achieve common interests and enhance the security and stability in the region.

They also discussed developments in the region as well as political and defense issues of common interest. — SPA