Visitors

Ambassador Hamid Ansari, Distinguished Fellow, West and Central Asia Program, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi, discussed issues related to Iraq and the possibility of conducting a joint GCC-India workshop in 2006.

1- Prof. Dr. Jurgen Gramke, Director of the Institute for European Affairs in Germany, discussed cooperation possibilities between the two organizations with regard to improving GCC-EU relations.

2- Veteran Indian print and television journalist Saeed Naqvi exchanged views on reforms in the GCC countries, developments in Iraq, US policies in the region and GCC-India relations, especially in the realm of energy security

Ambassador of Sweden Bruno S. Beijer’s interaction focused on regional developments and cooperation between the GRC and Swedish institutes/government bodies in various areas, including environmental issues.

Iraq Defense Minister Dr. Sadoun Al-Dulaimi was briefed about the GRC’s activities in general and Iraq in particular. Dr. Dulaimi was presented a copy of the Arabic version of Military Balance, a journal published by the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies and translated by the GRC.

Military Balance is the premier source of analysis, factual data, and information on global defense capabilities and trends, which the GRC is making available in Arabic for the first time in the region as part of its information dissemination program.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Scott Carpenter took part in one of the sessions of the workshop on ‘political reforms in GCC countries’ organized jointly by the GRC and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The US official briefed the participants about the developments at the ‘Forum for the Future’ meeting in Manama and also sought to clarify doubts about the US reform plan in the region.

Dr Habib El Habr, Director of the United Nations Environment Program Regional Office for West Asia, and Mr Ibrahim Al Zubi, UAE Coordinator of the Global Civil Society Forum (GCSF) and Director, Environment Research, Emirates Diving Association, held discussions about GRC’s participation at the 7th GCSF to be held in Dubai in February 2006 ahead of the 9th Special Session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum.