RIYADH, March 10 (NNN-KUNA) — The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has welcomed the return of calm on the Saudi-Yemeni borders and cessation of hostilities on the northwest region of Yemen.
GCC foreign ministers, in a statement following their one-day meeting chaired by Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah here Tuesday, voiced solidarity with Saudi Arabia to defending its territories and safety of its citizens.
They said any attack against the security and stability of Saudi Arabia resembled an aggression against the rest of the GCC countries, said the statement, which noted support for the stability and security of Yemen.
The top diplomats condemned the assassination of Hamas top official Mahmoud Al-Mabhoud in Dubai recently, which represented a violation of security and sovereignty of the UAE as well as international law.
They condemned the consular facilities offered to citizens of countries whose passport holders took part in the murder of Al-Mabhouh.
The foreign ministers voiced support for all UAE’s efforts to bring the killers to face justice, offering cooperation of their security authorities with the UAE’s security bodies.
The GCC foreign ministers condemned the Israeli forces’ incursion into courtyards of the Al-Aqsa and their clashes with Palestinian worshippers. They also condemned the Israeli government’s decision to annex the Al-Ibrahim Mosque in Al-Khalil, or Hebron, and Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Bethelehm to the Jewish heritage sites.
They also condemned the Israeli authorities’ excavation under fences of occupied Jerusalem, and said these acts represented provocations of feelings of Muslims all over the world. The foreign ministers urged UN Security Council to act swiftly to stop these actions.
The foreign ministers called on the international community to act firmly against the Israeli practices, which included annexation of Palestinian territories in complete ignorance of legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
The GCC’s top diplomats urged UNESCO, ALESCO and ISESCO to take all necessary measures to save the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Islamic holy sites from the Israeli systematic assaults.
The meeting touched on a host of report regarding the custom union, the custom information centre, the railroad project, the enforcement of the Monetary Union and preparations for the first meeting of the monetary council, due late this month, noted the statement.
The foreign ministers, said the statement, welcomed last month’s meeting of experts from the GCC and European Union (EU) during which they approved a draft work programme for 2010-2013.
They also reviewed the progress of the implementation of development projects in Yemen.
They have also reviewed security coordination and cooperation among the six GCC countries, expressing satisfaction over the level of collaboration.
The GCC council reiterated firm rejection to terrorism and violence. The foreign ministers stressed the importance of activating resolutions and statements by the regional and international organisations to fighting terrorism.
They called on countries of the world, namely Britain, to deal seriously with the terrorist groups and persons supporting them, as well as rejecting political asylum nor allowing them to harm security and stability of the Arab countries.
Turning to the military domain, the GCC foreign ministers discussed Bahrain’s vision to develop the Arab Gulf bloc militarily and how to further improve joint military and defence collaboration.
The foreign ministers also expressed concerns anew regarding the piracy in international waters near the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, calling for global efforts to arresting and prosecuting the pirates.
They have taken note of measures by GCC member states to follow implementation of environmental protection resolutions, namely those regarding the establishment of a Kuwait-based GCC disaster centre.
The foreign ministers approved a cooperation MoU with the Arab world institute in Paris.
The top diplomats reiterated support for the UAE’s sovereignty over the islands of Abu Moussa, Greater and Lesser Tunbs, as well as their economic zone and territorial waters.
They expressed regret over the lack of progress with Iran vis-a-vis the resolution of the UAE’s islands’ issue, calling on the Islamic Republic to positively answer the UAE’s call to solve this issue either via direct negotiations or international arbitation, said the statement.
On relations with Iran, the foreign ministers said the development of ties with Tehran should be based on good neighbourliness and mutual respect, as well as non-interference in internal affairs and solving disputes peacefully.
On Iran’s nuclear file, the foreign ministers called anew for addressing this issue through peaceful measures to ultimately clear the Middle East, including the Gulf region, from all weaopns of mass destruction (WMD) including the nuclear arms.
They welcomed the efforts of so-called P5 1 group and the UN nuclear watchdog to solving the Iranian nuclear issue diplomatically, hoping Tehran would respond to these endeavours.
The GCC foreign ministers’ council affirmed the right of regional countries to owning nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and within the IAEA’s standards and supervision.
The Gulf foreign ministers discussed the developments in Palestinian territories, Israeli violations of the Palestinian lands and the Israeli collective punishment against people in the Gaza Strip.
They called on key players in the international community to work on lifting the Israeli siege on Gaza and opening of crossings of the Strip.
They also called on parties concerned to implement recommendations of the Goldstone report regarding the Israeli violations of human rights and international law in Gaza. They called for prosecuting those responsible for the violations and compensating the victims of the Israeli onslaught against Gaza which started in December 2008.
The foreign ministers condemned the Israeli policies to change the demographic status in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Judaization of occupied East Jerusalem and expanding of current Jewish settlements.
They called on the international community to live up to its responsibility towards the immediate halt of Jewish settlement activities, removal of the Israeli separation barrier and protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites, said the statement.
The GCC officials reiterated support for the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state in line with relevant UN resolutions, land-for-peace principle and Arab peace initiative.
They called on all Palestinian factions to unite their ranks to ultimately form a government of national unity in order to regain their rights and establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
They welcomed the Arab peace initiative follow up committee which approved the start of indirect Palestinian-Israeli proximity talks of four months under US sponsorship. But, added the statement, the ministers said the start of talks meant that Israel honour its legal obligations and completely halt settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories including East Jerusalem.
On Lebanon, the GCC foreign ministers hoped the formation of the government of Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri would boost national unity, achieve security, stability and prosperity in the country.
They condemned the Israeli threats against Lebanon, urging the UN and the UN Security Council to live up to their responsibilities in protecting Lebanon.
On Sudan, the foreign ministers welcomed the framework agreement between the government of Sudan and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) which was signed in Doha.
They voiced solidarity with Sudan and rejected the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) measures vis-a-vis the conflict in Darfur, as well as the ICC’s charges of genocide against President Omar Al-Bashir.
The foreign ministers of the GCC regretted the deterioration of the situation in Somalia, urging all parties to stop violence and seek national conciliation. They have also extended support to the Somali government of Sheikh Sharif Ahmad.
The GCC foreign ministers extended for three years the term of Ambassador Amal Al-Hamad, of Kuwait, as head of the GCC mission in Brussels.
– NNN-KUNA
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