GCC states to create regional police, navy

Following the 35th GCC Summit on Tuesday, Gulf leaders announced in Doha the creation of a regional police force in addition to a joint naval force, the Associated Press reported.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid Bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah said the police force would improve cooperation against terrorism.

“It will be an Interpol-like force but inside GCC countries," he told reporters at a news conference.

The police force will be based out of the United Arab Emirates’ capital of Abu Dhabi while the naval force will operate out of Bahrain.

The creation of the police force, known as GCC-POL, and the naval force, was announced at the conclusion of the Gulf bloc's annual summit in Qatar.

Separately, in a communique read during the closing remarks, the leaders reiterated their support for a political solution in both Yemen and Syria and condemned the militias currently operating in Libya.

They also voiced their support of the Libyan elected national council as the legitimate body to govern the country.

In statements made during the closing of the summit, the leaders said they hoped that the newly-appointed U.N. peace envoy to Syria Staffan De Mistura be successful in expediting a solution.

Additionally, the communique announced that the leaders unanimously supported the political roadmap in Egypt and President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud announced that the next summit is to be held in Riyadh.

Separately, as the leaders arrived in Qatar for the summit ahead of the meeting, they honored the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for receiving a certificate from the U.N. Secretary General recognizing him as a leader and supporter of the United Nation’s humanitarian work.

“Honoring the State of Kuwait is an honor for all GCC countries,” he said.

Speaking at the beginning of the summit, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said Tuesday’s meeting comes at a time of highly complex regional and international circumstances.

Prince Tamim also said he hopes the summit would mark the launch of a new march of GCC cooperation.

Earlier in the day, Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and Emirati Prime Minister and Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum were received by the Qatari Emir upon their arrival in Doha.

Also Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah and Omani Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al-Said were also recieved by Prince Tamim.

The leaders of GCC members are expected to discuss relations with neighboring Iran, economic integration as well as unrest in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Qatar, whose support for the Muslim Brotherhood had caused months of acrimony with fellow GCC members Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates and the bloc, has recently made concerted efforts to reconcile.

At an emergency meeting on Nov. 16 in Riyadh, GCC leaders had agreed to turn over a new page in relations after Doha was accused of destabilizing the region by supporting Islamist movements, namely the Muslim Brotherhood. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have both listed the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.