Media release
23 September 2009
Meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council Troika
Today I met with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Troika in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
This follows the meeting I had with the GCC last year at the United Nations, and also my visit to the GCC Secretary-General Headquarters earlier this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The GCC delegation was led by Mr Yuosef bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman and Chair of the GCC Troika.
We discussed Australia’s desire for the early conclusion of an Australia-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Free Trade Agreement.
We also discussed the Ministerial level dialogue between Australia and the Gulf Cooperation Council proposed to be held in March next year.
The countries of the GCC (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates) are a major export market for Australia, with total merchandise trade worth $8 billion in 2008.
Media inquiries: Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555