Oman Shura lauds Amir efforts on Gulf crisis
BRUSSELS, Oct 13, (KUNA): Sheikh Khaled Hilal Al-Maawali, Speaker of the Shura Council of Oman, has expressed his full backing and support to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s efforts to heal the rift in the Gulf region.
“We highly appreciate and strongly support and express our gratitude to the Amir of Kuwait HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for all his efforts and I firmly believe that the brothers will return, even after some time,” he said.
Al-Maawali made his remarks in a speech at the 9th European Union — Sultanate of Oman inter-parliamentary meeting hosted in the European Parliament by the EP’s Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula Thursday evening.
“Oman with all it can supports the “active and dynamic” efforts by His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to heal the rift.
We all are waiting for that historic moment and we pray to God that the day will come soon,” he added.
Meanwhile, in answer to a question by the British MEP Wajid Khan during the meeting, on Kuwait’s mediation
efforts, Kuwait’s ambassador to the EU, Belgium, NATO and Luxembourg, Jasem Al-Budaiwi expressed his appreciation and thanks to AlMaawali for his kind words and support to exerted efforts by His Highness the Amir.
“This situation is very painful to us” he said, and hoped that by God’s will a solution to the crisis will be found soon.
“We all have one destiny one future and one situation and we cannot live apart of each other,” stressed the Kuwaiti diplomat.
He noted that the desire and wish of the leaders and the people of GCC countries is to see a solution.
Al-Budaiwi concluded his remarks saying “we see that EU-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) relationship vital for everybody and we all work hard to maintain this relationship.
We invested a lot in this by holding many meetings, dialogue, discussions and Kuwait wants this relationship to develop further.”
For her part, Michel Alliot-Marie, chair of the Delegation, called for closer relations and cooperation between the EU and Oman and also between the EU and GCC saying the EP wants to see the GCC “more stronger and united.”
She said the two sides exchanged views on a number of issues of mutual interest including the political, economic and social situation in Oman.
The GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Al-Maawali also expressed his desire to intensify relations between the EU and Oman and praised the EU’s positive role in many issues in the region and worldwide.
He presented an overview of the development of the Shura council in Oman and about his country’s foreign policy which, he noted, is based on neutrality and non-interference.
Al-Maawali was accompanied by a delegation which included the Secretary General of Shura Council Sheikh Ali bin Nasser Al-Mahrouqi and three members of the Shura Council as well as the ambassador of Oman in Brussels Najeem AlAbri.