Jordan welcomes decision approving Amman as GCC member

May 10, 2011

Amman - The Jordanian government on Tuesday hailed a decision by leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) accepting the Hashemite Kingdom as member in the oil-rich Arab political bloc.

'The Jordanian government welcomes the decision by Gulf leaders currently meeting in Riyadh to approve Jordan's request to join the GCC,' a statement carried by the official Petra news agency said.

'Jordan looks forward to continue the dialogue in this respect between Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh and the GCC foreign ministers with a view to ensuring the completion of requirements for joining the council.'

Earlier Tuesday, the GCC Secretary General Abdul Latif al-Zayani said that the GCC leaders, who were holding a summit in Riyadh to consider the repercussions of the latest spate of Arab uprisings, had decided to accept Jordan's joining of the pact.

They instructed their foreign ministers to establish contacts with their Jordanian counterpart for completing the procedures for the milestone step.

The GCC leaders were also considering an application by Morocco to join the alliance, al-Zayani said.

The idea of enlarging the GCC to include the two hereditary monarchies in Jordan and Morocco arose following the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt and the turmoil in Bahrain, Yemen and Syria. The move came as a bid to bolster the Arab alliance vis-a-vis growing attempts by Persian Iran to intervene in GCC affairs, diplomats said.

Jordan hopes its GCC membership will help address the country's growing economic problems, including a chronic budget deficit, high unemployment and surging oil prices.

Amman aspires to be accorded preferential treatment by the GCC countries, particularly in giving priority to Jordanian-trained workforce and contracting firms to work in the oil-rich Gulf countries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

King Abdullah II on Tuesday discussed the advantages of joining the GCC during a meeting with chief editors of local newspapers and leading members of the Jordan Press Association.

He said Jordan was facing 'economic challenges, including an unprecedented budget deficit' and a tangible retreat in foreign investments in the country.

Source: Monsters and Critics.
Link: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1638300.php/Jordan-welcomes-decision-approving-Amman-as-GCC-member.