His Majesty King Hamad last night (Monday) held extensive talks with Deputy Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh.

They reviewed regional and global economic developments and hailed GCC steps to tackle repercussions of the financial crisis.

They stressed the key role of economy in boosting development projects and lauded GCC economic co-operation, noting the safety measures member states had adopted to confront the crisis.

The two leaders reviewed the GCC march, highlighting the political, economic, cultural and social achievements.

Prince Sultan hosted a dinner banquet in honour of His Majesty, which was attended by Saudi princes, ministers and senior officials.

His Majesty was earlier received by Prince Sultan and senior royal family members on arrival at a Riyadh airbase. He returned late last night.-TradeArabia News Service