Al-Durra oilfield ‘located in Kuwait territorial waters’
The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states reaffirmed Sunday that the Al-Durra oilfield is entirely located in Kuwait’s territorial waters and that the natural wealth in the adjacent submerged, divided area between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia belongs solely to both countries. Wrapping up their 159th regular meeting in Riyadh, the ministers stressed that Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have full rights to manipulate the natural resources of the divided zone pursuant to the rules of international law and the existing bilateral agreements.
No third party has any right to an adjacent submerged, divided zone clearly delineated between the Kingdom and Kuwait, according to the final communiqué of the ministerial meeting. The GCC foreign ministers renewed their congratulations to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, on his inauguration, expressing confidence that he, thanks to his wise leadership, would enhance Kuwait’s effective role in promoting the GCC march towards realization of the noble objectives.
The visits paid by His Highness the Amir to the sisterly GCC member states following his coronation reflected the strength of the deep-rooted relations among the leaders and peoples of the GCC states, the communique noted. Hailing the outcomes of the visits by His Highness the Amir to Saudi Arabia on January 30, Oman on February 6, Bahrain on February 13, and Qatar on February 20, the ministers said the visits signaled a shared commitment by the GCC leaders to work for protecting the security and ensuring the stability and prosperity of the GCC states.
The ministers paid tribute to Kuwait’s late Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, recalling his contributions to the prosperity and welfare of the Kuwaiti people and his role in promoting cooperation among the GCC states and serving the fair causes of the Arab and Muslim nations.
Jordan’s security and stability
The chief of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) underlined the bloc’s support for any measure aiming to bring security and stability to Jordan amid a spate of “terrorist” attacks along the Hashemite kingdom’s border with Syria. Condemning these attacks, Jasem Al-Budaiwi said that “strategic dialogue” with Amman was necessary to propel Gulf Arab ties with Jordan to greater levels, citing their “intertwined fates and common interests.”
Addressing joint ministerial-level talks in the Saudi capital, he lamented the “catastrophic scenes” in the Gaza Strip, deploring the ongoing violence committed by Zionist forces against the Palestinian people, saying such moves are tantamount to “ethnic cleansing” and forced displacement. The six-member bloc is “unwavering” in its support for the Palestinians, the GCC chief emphasized, vowing to ramp up diplomacy in efforts to halt the violence and protect the Palestinians, subsequently allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.