Saudi: Arabs in talks with US for new pact
riyadh — Arab countries are in talks with the United States for a new security agreement to protect the Middle East from “external aggression”, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir said on Sunday.
“The aim is to achieve security arrangements in the Middle East that can protect the region from external aggression... and strengthen relations between the United States and the countries of the region,” Al Jubeir said at a news conference at the end of a Gulf Cooperation Council summit here.
Asked about reports of talks on the creation of an Arab-American military alliance against Iran, he said: “Talks are continuing between the United States and the Gulf states around this question and ideas are being drawn up”.
“It’s a work in progress and the two parties want to see it happen,” said Al Jubeir, adding that the alliance would include Egypt. —
The ultimate goal of the GCC is to achieve coordination, integration and interdependence among the member states in all fields in order to reach unity and enhance links among its people in various fields Joint communique
A roadmap would be developed to achieve the council’s objectives, both ensuring the interests of citizens while enhancing and boosting security in the region and the international role of the GCC. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, GCC secretary-general
riyadh — The 40th session of the GCC summit will be held in the UAE, according to a communique issued at the end of the 39th summit in Riyadh.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, chaired the 39th session of the council in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The Supreme Council of GCC states welcomed the UAE’s hosting of next summit and issued the ‘Riyadh Declaration’, which included 72 items covering matters related to the Gulf countries, the region and the world.
GCC Secretary-General Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, delivered the final declaration, saying “that a roadmap would be developed to achieve the council’s objectives, both ensuring the interests of citizens, while enhancing security in the region and the regional and international role of the GCC.
The basic law adopted by the founders of the council states that the ultimate goal of the GCC is “to achieve coordination, integration and interdependence among the member states in all fields in order to reach their unity and enhance links among its people in various fields.”
Al Zayani asserted the importance of bolstering ties among GCC countries and friendly nations, similar to the relationship between the US and GCC.
He noted that discussions in the summit focused on such relations and views that would call for optimism based on the agreement in its general perspective.
He said that one of the pressing issues during the meeting was similar to the adoption of laws and strategies to ensure a greater acceleration of the Gulf joint action in terms of economic, political and security, in line with the changes in the regional and rapid changes in the international arenas.
Supporting the right of the UAE to regain sovereignty over its three islands: the Greater and the Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa, and over the territorial waters, the airspace, the continental shelf, and the economic zone of the three islands, as they are an integral part of the UAE.
The council expressed disappointment that the repeated contacts with the Islamic Republic of Iran have not yielded any positive outcomes that would actively contribute to the resolution of the issue, and lead to the security and stability of the region.
“The council will continuing to look into all peaceful means that would lead to the restoration of UAE’s right on the three islands,” according to the declaration, which also urged Iran to respond to the efforts of the UAE and the international community in solving the issue by peaceful means or taking recourse to the International Court of Justice.
The summit welcomed the announcement by the UAE and Saudi Arabia to set up a coordination council and to adopt a strategy for economic, development and military integration.
The GCC leaders reaffirmed keenness on maintaining the unity of member countries and noted their Gulf bloc realised many achievements that contributed to regional security, stability, economic and social prosperity.
They said challenges required further efforts to achieve integration at economic, social, political, security and military levels, said the declaration. —