Riyadh, May 21, spa -- GCC secretary general Abdulrahman al-Atiyyah has welcomed the ratification of the Iraqi council of deputies to the formation of the new Iraqi government, presented by Premier Noori al-Maliki. He hoped that this development would be an advance step on the path of enhancing the national unity and the political process for the preservation of the country's independence, sovereignty and unity. Al-Atiyyah confirmed the stand of the gcc member states for extending all possible support to Iraq and its people. --spa www.spa.gov.sa/362575