GCC Foreign Ministers meet in Jeddah
August 14, 2014
The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states held a meeting in Jeddah last night, during which they discussed the latest regional developments. The participants included Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal; Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa; UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan; Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah; Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyyah; Omani Minister in Charge of Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi Abdullah; and GCC Secretary General Dr. Abdullatif Al-Zayani.
In statements following the session, the ministers underscored the importance of uniting Arab ranks in order to end bloodshed, protect achievements, combat extremist organizations and enhance regional security and stability. They lauded the speech delivered by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz on August 2, in which the Saudi leader called for fighting terrorism and warned against the sedition that threatens the Arab and Islamic nations.
The ministers profoundly denounced the brutal war crimes, aggression and state-sponsored terrorism being carried out by Israel against the Gaza Strip. They rejected Israel’s justifications for the violence and expressed support for the efforts of the Palestinians to achieve a permanent ceasefire and an end to the blockade of Gaza. In this regard, they praised the role being played by Egypt to consolidate the truce.
On Iraq, the ministers welcomed the election of Mohammed Maasoom as the new President, the selection of Dr. Haider Al-Abadi to form a new government as Prime Minister, and the election of Saleem Al-Jabouri as Speaker of the Parliament. They expressed hope that these changes will enhance the security and stability of Iraq and stressed the importance of maintaining the unity, territorial integrity and independence of Iraq.
Finally, the ministers reviewed a number of reports on the performance of GCC sub-committees, urging them to finish their work to implement the Riyadh Declaration within one week.