Manama: The next Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit designated to be held in the Omani capital Muscat will convene in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
The annual summit usually held in December brings together the leaders of the six GCC states – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – to one of their capitals on a rotating basis.
Oman's Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf Bin Alawi told Oman Television and Omani News Agency (ONA) on Wednesday that there would be contacts with Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry regarding the summit.
Bin Alawi said as per the mechanisms of the 37th summit in Bahrain in 2016 and the additional measures, a summit can be held in the GCC headquarters – Saudi Arabia- and the meetings can be chaired by Saudi Arabia.
It would be the first time in the history of the alliance set up in May 1981 that such a procedure will be applied, he said.
Bin Alawi said the summit would be chaired by the leader of the host country and that the ministerial meetings and sub-meetings would be headed by the country designated to organise the summit regardless of where it is held.
Kuwait hosted the 38th GCC summit on December 5.
