RIYADH, September 9. /TASS/. The countries of the Persian Gulf consider it "paramount" to strengthen cooperation with Russia, Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf (GCC) Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi said.

"All Gulf countries consider the task of strengthening cooperation with Russia to be a task as of paramount importance in light of the important historical and strategic relations that bind us," Al-Budaiwi said at the opening of a meeting within the framework of the Strategic Dialogue between Russia and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf (GCC) being held in Riyadh.

In this context, the secretary general called for intensifying work on the joint action plan that was adopted at the previous such meeting held in Moscow last July.

The joint action plan for the period up to 2028 envisages strengthening the political dialogue and maintaining regular contacts between foreign ministers, senior officials and experts from Russia and the Gulf countries. At the previous meeting, the two sides agreed to work on creating conditions conducive to the growth of trade and investment, as well as developing energy supply chains and strengthening cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.

On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Riyadh to participate in the seventh round of talks within the framework of the Strategic Dialogue between Russia and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf (GCC). The sides will discuss the situation in the Middle East, as well as the implementation of joint projects and expansion of economic cooperation.