Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.9
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
The creation of the union of Persian Gulf states is inevitable despite the fact Oman is against it, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Centre for Islamic Studies (Saudi Arabia), Prince Turki Faisal said, Al Arabia TV channel reported on Dec.9.
Oman has a right to express its opinion on this issue, but this will not affect the decision to create a Persian Gulf states' union, Faisal said.
Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah said earlier that Oman has spoken out against the creation of the union of six countries in the Persian Gulf to replace the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Oman doesn't support the idea of the union and 'will not be a part of it' in the case of adoption of any decision on its formation by the other members of GCC, according to the Omani foreign minister.
The GCC includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Oman.
In 2011, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud put forward an initiative to transform the GCC into a union. This proposal was supported by Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE.
Oman made an official statement with regard to this initiative for the first time.
Translated by L.Z.
Edited by S.M.