Qatar has been chosen as the permanent venue of a Gulf-wide centre to fight the drug menace which is a major threat to the social and economic stability of the region. The Gulf states have decided to set up a key information centre which will devote its energies to combat drug smuggling and peddling. To be known as the 'Gulf Criminal Information Centre for Drugs Prevention', to be based in Doha, the regional initiative was joined by Saudi Arabia on Thursday providing a boost to the GCC's anti-drug enforcement drive. The interior ministers of the GCC states met here on Thursday and reiterated their resolve to jointly fight threats from terrorism and crimes such as drug and human trafficking, infiltration, illegal migration and piracy. "We have decided coordinate on a permanent basis to fight the above menace," a statement issued at the end of the meeting, which was held at the Doha Sheraton, said. H E Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar's Minister of State for Interior Affairs who presided over the meet, said: "We are happy to meet in Doha for the second time this year to add a new chapter to the Gulf joint security initiative." Talking about the recommendations of the GCC preparatory committee, he said: "They are the need of the present times and the changing conditions witnessed all over the world, especially in the Gulf countries, and we have to overcome these changes one by one and have to improve the security measures." H E Abdul Rahman bin Hamad Al Athiyya, Secretary-General of the GCC, said on the occasion: "The secretariat has followed up the process of implementation of your decisions in the field of security cooperation and coordination." Prince Naif Bin Abdul Azeez Al Saud, the Saudi Interior Minister, said that the world had been witnessing changes and the simmering financial crisis can lead some people to spread unwanted rumours. "So, we are looking forward to having 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 security agencies." The Pen

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