Their Excellencies the Interior Ministers of the GCC member countries held their 27th meeting at Al Majlis Hall of Doha Sheraton Hotel in Doha on Thursday, 6/11/2008 after noon.

H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of State for Interior Affairs of Qatar and chairman of the present session inaugurated the meeting delivering a speech in which he welcomed Their Excellencies and the accompanying delegations to Qatar and wished them joyous stay in their second home Qatar and extended the greetings of H.H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thanim, The Emir of Qatar and Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani and their good wishes for the successful end of the gathering.

"We are happy to day to meet again in Doha for second time during this year to add a new chapter of Gulf joint security works to the march of GCC member states. In front of us, there are a lot of important subjects put by the security committees with in a year and recommendations of those security committees are waiting for suitable decisions in order to implement those recommendations and to bring it to reality" Qatari Minister of State for Interior Affairs said. 

Mentioning to the activities of preparatory committee meeting held last month in Doha, Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani said "The committee has studied the subjects put in front of it and has brought out results that convoy with the requirements of our countries. Certainly, The recommendations are need of the present time and the changing condition witnessed all over the world especially by the Gulf countries and we have to overcome these changes one by one and have to improve the security tools to the standard of the challenges in which the phenomenon of terrorism, marine piracies and drugs crimes are in the frontline".

Before concluding his speech the minister thanked and appreciated the General Secretariat of GCC for their sincere efforts in making the joint security efforts successful.

H.E. Abdul Rahman Bin Hamad Al Athiyya, Secretary General of GCC Secretariat who spoke after H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani said " The secretariat has followed up the process of implementation of your highnesses decisions in the field of security cooperation and coordination and has conducted communication with follow up offices under interior ministries. We are very satisfied by the results of those communications because of your Excellencies constant keenness showed in this field and directives given to various security sectors. Many decisions have been taken in the field of combating terrorism and conducted joint training programs which express the stands of GCC countries against terrorism and its various categories and kinds and which ever is its origin in order to accomplish the protection of GCC countries and its people from this dangerous phenomenon".

Talking about the preparatory meeting for the 27th meeting of interior ministers, H.E. Al Athiyya said " The concerned security committees and also other committee have held meetings according to the periodical agenda for security meeting for this year. The meetings discussed its agendas and took various recommendations to promote joint security coordination and cooperation among GCC member countries. The preparatory committee by undersecretaries conducted its preparatory meeting as a preparation for this meeting and discussed about all subjects and recommendations by the sub committees and prepared its total recommendations which are put in front of your Excellencies for taking suitable decision". Al Athiyya concluded his speech wishing success for the activities of the 27th meeting. 

After that, H.H. Prince Naif Bin Abdul Azeez Al Saud, Saudi Interior Minister who started his speech thanking and appreciating H.H. The Emir of Qatar and Heir Apparent for their warm reception and generous hospitality and thanking H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of State for Internal Affairs for his keenness to make all arrangements for the conduction of 27th meeting successfully in Doha said " The present world has been witnessing changes and collapses in which the world financial crisis is in the top which creates chances to spread rumors which leads to what more than we can afford. Definitely, the awareness of our citizens about this crisis giving them peace of mind". After that prince Naif added " We are looking forward for more communication and coordination among security agencies in our countries in all fields and following up the latest technological developments that are required by the works of security agencies and also to get benefited from those technological inventions in completing our missions and improving the standard of efficiency of our personnel and qualifying them. Prince Naif Al Saud then informed that " H.H. King Abdullah Bin Abdul Azeez Al Saud, Custodian of two holy mosques and King of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has approved the joining of Saudi Arabia to the " Gulf Criminal Information Centre for drugs prevention".

After that Staff General. Sheikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa , Interior minister of Bahrain delivered a speech in which he started his words thanking H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of State for Internal Affairs for generous hospitality and warm welcome in Qatar. Stressing on the importance of this meeting in a time where the regional and international arenas are witnessing a series of collapses and changes and mentioning to the high strategically importance of Gulf countries either in the security or financial fields, Sheikh Rashid Al Khalifa said " The joint work and coordination to face the disasters of all kinds is a matter of highly importance. The borders security, combating the trafficking operations, infiltration, illegal migration, piracies and drug trafficking are the subjects in which the member countries should enhance procedures among them to seize and control it".

"We are gathering today to discuss about the outcomes of the meetings of the security committees in different fields. Drugs and crimes prevention, infiltration, terrorism and other crimes come in the top of the list. The comprehensive security strategy which was taken in the previous consultative meeting is considered as an important step towards activating the security cooperation in its various methods" Staff Lt. General. Eng. Jabir Khaled Al Sabah, Kuwaiti Interior Minister who talked in the meeting stated.

Staff Lt. Gen. Al Sabah also mentioned to the importance of activating the security plan that was consisted of the State of Kuwait which aims at protection of GCC countries from the dangers of radioactive leakage which calls for the alert of security agencies and civil defense and making the public aware of its impacts.

After delivering speeches, Their Excellencies discussed various subjects came in the agenda of the conference and they took decisions that will enhance security cooperation and coordination among GCC countries. The press release issued in the end of the meeting stated " By the invitation of H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of State for Internal Affairs and member of ministers' council in Qatar, Their Excellencies GCC Interior Ministers held their 27th meeting in Doha on Thursday, 6/11/2008. H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of State for Internal Affairs chaired the meeting and Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Interior minister, Staff Lt. Gen. Sheikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Bahraini Interior minister, Prince. Naif Bin Abdul Azeez Al Saud, Saudi Interior Minister, H.E. Saud Bin Ibrahim Al Busaid , Omani Interior Minister, Staff Lt. Gen. Sheikh Jaber Khaldi Al Sabah, Kuwaiti Interior Minister and H.E. Abdul Rahman Bin Hamad Al Athiyya , General Secretary of GCC General Secretariat attended the meeting. 

The Ministers expressed their sincere thanks and appreciation for H.H. The Emir, Chairman of the present GCC session and for Heir Apparent for warm welcome and good hospitality. They also appreciated H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of State for Internal Affairs for doing all preparations for hosting this meeting which lead to reach to decisions and results aim at achieving the aspirations of GCC Heads in promoting security coordination and cooperation among member countries to maintain the bounties of security, safety and prosperity for GCC countries and its people. The statement added that "Their Excellencies have studied the latest developments and fast security changes taking place at regional and international level and they stressed on permanent security coordination and cooperation among member countries and also in the awake ness of security agencies and the continuous communication among them which can protect the GCC countries from those changes and collapses".

Their Excellencies also discussed about the progress of security coordination and cooperation among the member countries during the period of 26th and 27th meetings in which they expressed their satisfaction on the achievements in this field and renewed their plight to work more harder to promote coordination and cooperation among member countries.

Their Excellencies also renewed their stress on the rigid stand of GCC countries against violence and extremism accompanied by terrorism and they restored the support of GCC countries for any regional or international effort towards combating terrorism which has became a phenomenon threat the security, peace and stability.

The statement also said that " Considering the continuous changes witnessed by the regional and international arenas and taking in to importance of diagnosing the dangers that threaten the security of GCC countries, The GCC Interior ministers decided to discuss the emergency and new security issues by undersecretaries in their meetings to evaluate it in coordination with general secretariat and to raise suitable recommendations to Their Excellencies the Ministers. The GCC Ministers also welcomed the decision to establish the Gulf Criminal Information Centre for drugs prevention for GGC countries in Doha.

In the end of the meeting Their Excellencies the GCC ministers sent a telegram of thanks and appreciation for H.H. The Emir and Heir Apparent.