Brussels, 29/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - The EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) met in Masqat (Oman) on 28 April to hold the 19th session of their joint cooperation council. This session - which takes place every year - aims to take stock of cooperation begun in June 1988, which has so far only given partial results far from the ambitions stated at the outset, including the conclusion of a second free trade agreement. Negotiations begun in the early '90s have stumbled against various technical points (completion of integrated market for the six Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, distortion of free trade competition, etc.). However, the main obstacle is the gradually declining interest shown by GCC countries to cooperate with the EU. This lack of interest was frankly declared at the end of 2008, resulting in the suspension of talks that were practically settled and which only needed the final “green light”. Under the June 1988 agreement, EU-GCC cooperation remains limited to programmes for the training of diplomats and experts, and to announcing projects in the environment and media fields. Cooperation also allows political consultation on the situation in the region (Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, etc.). (F.B./transl.jl)