New York, September 24, SPA -- Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi Foreign Minister along with his counterparts in other member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), met here this morning with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov, on the fringes of the 63rd session of UN General Assembly. The GCC side was presided over by Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, who is also the current Chairman of the GCC Ministerial Council. The GCC Secretary General Abdul Rahman bin Hamad Al-Atiyyah. The meeting focused on ways of developing and strengthening relations between the GCC countries and Russia in all fields; other issues of common concern, especially as regards the Palestinian issue and the current developments in Iraq and the Iranian nuclear file, the peace process in the Middle East and aspects of cooperation in spheres of economy, trade and sustainable development. The GCC is made up of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/592915