MOSCOW, July 10. /TASS/. Russia and member countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), have every opportunity to develop cooperation on a wide-ranging strategic basis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.

"Russia and the GCC possess all the tools necessary to resolve the tasks they are facing, promote mutually beneficial cooperation and lay a systemic strategic basis for it," he said at the sixth ministerial meeting of the Russia-GCC strategic dialogue in Moscow.

According to the top Russian diplomat, the parties’ relevant agencies and business structures are making efforts to expand economic ties. "Despite the difficult geopolitical conditions, we maintain positive dynamics in mutual trade. Last year, trade between Russia and your countries grew by more than six percent from the previous year and exceeded 11 billion US dollars," Lavrov said, adding that although trade is trending upwards, that is not being seen across the board with each of the organization’s countries.