Statement of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz 
to the 33rd Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council Supreme Council
Delivered by Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense
 and head of the Saudi Arabian Delegation to the Summit
Manama, Bahrain
December 24, 2012

In the name of Allah, most compassionate, most merciful.
Blessing and peace be upon the  Prophet Mohammed, his family and all his companions,

My brothers, Your Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Member States
Peace and mercy be upon you,

As you are meeting in our second country: the Kingdom of Bahrain, it gives me a great pleasure to express deep appreciation of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, for his care and interest to make the summit a success.

I would also like to express my sincere thanks to my brothers Their Majesties and Highnesses for the noble feelings they expressed towards me.  I would have attended this meeting which is being held in extremely sensitive circumstances that require us to look with far-sighted vision to our more-than-31-years old good march and sincerely and transparently ask ourselves whether our march has achieved our aspirations and those of our peoples.  I frankly tell you that the achievements accomplished by us fall short of our hopes and aspirations.

The great work which Allah Almighty has clinched to our necks necessitates strenuous work to reach the aspirations of our peoples. The decision you have taken at the 32nd summit, welcoming and blessing our proposal to move from the phase of cooperation to a one-entity union that achieves the good and wards off the evil, God willing, has also been widely welcomed as a good omen by the peoples of our countries. This was confirmed by the report of the specialized commission which included a recommendation to announce the establishment of the union, draw its objectives and forge a profile for the departments and bodies necessary for its start.

Consequently, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia presented a draft proposal for the union's statute in accordance with the specialized commission's recommendations.  I avail myself of this opportunity to appreciate its efforts and the positive results it has reached as well as the integral and balanced proposals it has presented. Gearing forward to the creation of a strong and coherent union that meets the aspirations of our nationals through completing the economic unity and creating an economic and social environment that enhances the citizens welfare, forging a unified and effective foreign policy that protects our nations against regional and international conflicts, building a common defense and security system that achieves a collective security for our countries in a way that protects their interests and achievements and preserves their sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs.

We hope that, if God willing, our countries would adopt the declaration of the establishment of this union at Riyadh summit. I, once again, appeal to Allah Almighty to make our endeavor to achieve the welfare of our peoples and the security and stability of our countries a success.

Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of God