The 38th Gulf Co-operation Council Summit, which ended in Kuwait on
Tuesday, expressed the bloc’s commitment to unity and keenness to attain
further co-ordination and integration across all domains.
In its final communique carried by Kuwait News Agency, the session said
the six member-nations’ leaders were committed to the GCC’s goals and
were convinced that the bloc serves their peoples’ hopes and
aspirations.
They reiterated support of proposals, including late Saudi King Abdullah
bin Abdulaziz al-Saud’s aim, to transform the bloc from a council to a
union, build a joint defence mechanism and for economic integration.
Separately, the session expressed “extreme condemnation” of the Houthi
attacks on the holy city of Makkah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, the
former by Iranian-made ballistic missiles.
It described the Houthi group’s recent killing of Yemen’s former leader
Ali Abdallah Saleh as a “tragic development,” saying GCC leaders are
following up on the matter with “anxiety.”
Iran’s destabilising activities and intervention in the internal affairs
of neighbouring nations, its support of “terrorist groups” in Bahrain
and occupation of the UAE’s three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb
and Abu Musa were also condemned.
The GCC underlined that Iran should cease its support of terrorist
groups that have a destabilising impact on the region, particularly the
Gulf.
The attending delegations also expressed support of the agreement signed
between the six-nation GCC and the US, which aims to block the funding
of terrorism through the launch of a centre with the goal.
The summit also condemned the deadly attack on a mosque in Egypt’s Al-Arish in northern Sinae.
On Palestinian affairs, the document reiterated support of Palestinian
statehood with a capital of Jerusalem, according to the 1967 borders,
the Arab Peace Initiative and international laws.
It also rejected Israeli practices that breach international rules and
regulations and aim to alter the legal, diplomatic or political status
of Jerusalem.
The Supreme Council welcomed the generous initiative of Kuwait to host
an international donor conference in 2018 to support the stability and
reconstruction of liberated areas in Iraq from the so-called Daesh.
It called for a positive international co-operation in this conference
and to assert the importance of refugees return to their homeland under
the international organisations concerned in co-ordination with the
Iraqi government.
The Supreme Council directed the Secretariat to begin preparations for a
comprehensive strategic dialogue to develop the GCC’s relations with
Iraq in all political, security, economic, cultural and other fields.
On Syria, the Supreme Council affirmed its firm positions and
resolutions on the Syrian crisis and the Geneva resolution, and Security
Council resolution 2254 which provides for the establishment of a
Transitional Authority for the administration of the country, the
drafting of a new constitution for Syria and the preparation of
elections for a new future for the Syrian people.
The Supreme Council welcomed the results of the second expanded meeting
of the Revolutionary Forces and the Syrian opposition held in Riyadh
last November, which united positions of the opposition parties and the
establishment of a negotiating team to the Geneva meeting to contribute
to achieving the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people.
The final communique stressed its support for the mediation of the United Nations and its envoy to Syria, Stefan de Mistura.
The Supreme Council stressed the importance of working on the return of
refugees and displaced Syrians to their cities and villages under
international supervision and rejected any attempt to bring about
demographic changes in Syria.
On Lebanon, the Supreme Council affirmed the GCC’s positions on the
importance of maintaining stability of Lebanon, reiterating its
commitment to Lebanon’s security, stability and territorial integrity
and supporting its efforts in confronting the so-called Daesh and other
terrorist organisations.
The Supreme Council affirmed its rejection of the role of Iran and
Hezbollah’s terrorist organisation in destabilising Lebanon, weakening
its political and security institutions, breaking up national unity and
fuelling sectarian conflicts.
The Supreme Council reiterated its keenness on the security, stability
and unity of the Libyan territories and supporting the efforts exerted
to confront the so-called Daesh and other terrorist organisations.
The Council stressed its support for the role of the United Nations in
reaching a political solution to the Libyan crisis, praising the efforts
of Dr Ghassan Salama, the UN Secretary-General’s envoy to achieve this.
On the issue of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, the Supreme Council
condemned the ethnic cleansing, massacres and brutal attacks against the
Rohingya Muslims in the Republic of Myanmar, their expulsion from their
homes and the systematic destruction of their villages, reiterating its
call on the international community to condemn these policies and act
urgently to stop these acts.
The Supreme Council expressed its deep appreciation and gratitude to the
Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah for the warm welcome and
hospitality, expressing satisfaction for the next convention of the
summit in Oman next year.
His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani holding talks with the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah in Kuwait on Tuesday. His Highness the Emir was in Kuwait to attend the 38th Gulf Co-operation Council Summit.