RIYADH: It is imperative to build a unified security apparatus across the wider Gulf Arab region as part of efforts to keep potential security threats at bay, Kuwait's interior minister said on Wednesday. Citing his country's "successful" efforts to clamp down on drug-traffickers as a case in point, Sheikh Talal Al-Sabah, who doubles as Kuwait's first deputy prime minister, told his counterparts from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states that the bloc has already forged a "unified strategy" to provide rehab programs for addicts.

He went on to say that Kuwait firmly backs all measures taken by Saudi Arabia to protect its security and stability from similar perils, underlining that Riyadh's security is inextricably linked to the security of all GCC member countries. On some of the outcomes that the talks are likely to yield, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud said the decisions will encapsulate the unity and "brotherly spirit" that bound GCC countries, which is necessary to fight all security challenges. Highlighting the critical juncture at which the talks are taking place, the Saudi minister emphasized that more security cooperation among the Riyadh-based bloc is key to preserve the region's security and stability. - KUNA