Press Release: Commissioners Ferrero-Waldner and Mandelson to meet Gulf Co-operation Council in Bahrain, 5 April 2005

Preview of the annual meeting of Foreign Ministers from the European Union and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, 5 April 2005, in Manama, Bahrain. They were to exchange views on reinforcing Euro-Gulf relations. Ministers were expected to launch joint initiatives in the political, economic and social/cultural fields. They were also expected to agree on the way forward for EU-GCC Free Trade Area negotiations with the aim of concluding them at the earliest opportunity.