MOSCOW, Sept 11: Kuwait Foreign Minister and Chairman of the current session of the Gulf Ministerial Council, Abdullah Al-Yahya, affirmed the GCC’s full solidarity and unwavering position with Qatar and its absolute support for the measures and procedures it is taking to ensure the protection of its people and the preservation of its security. This came in the opening speech delivered by Al-Yahya, on Thursday, at the eighth joint ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between the GCC and the Russian Federation, held in the Russian city of Sochi. Al-Yahya affirmed that any attack against any GCC country is considered an aggression against all GCC countries, and that what we have all witnessed of the sinful aggression against Qatar by the Israeli occupation forces comes at a time when the peoples of the region were hoping for security and stability. Today’s meeting embodies the deep belief that the strategic partnership between the two sides is a fundamental pillar for building a brighter and more secure future for our peoples and for constructing solid bridges that expand areas of cooperation, the minister added. He also stressed that this meeting represents a milestone in enhancing cooperation on what was agreed upon in previous meetings. The joint action plan (2023-2028) represented a practical embodiment of the collective will, as it included multiple horizons of political and economic cooperation. This ambitious plan resulted in tangible partnerships and practical programs that translated the desired common goals and aspirations. “What brings us together today is more than shared interests. It is a convergence of convictions and visions on the necessity of cooperation as the basis for peace, dialogue as a means to resolve conflicts, and partnership as a means to achieve development and prosperity,” said the minister.

The Kuwaiti minister stressed the Palestinian cause is one of the main priorities as it is the key to stability in the entire region. He emphasized that there can be no just peace or lasting stability without ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions. Minister Al-Yahya went on to commend the friendly Russian Federation’s stance on the importance of ending the cycle of conflict and supporting efforts to achieve an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. He reiterated his strong condemnation and denunciation of the policy of starvation, repression, and displacement pursued by the Israeli occupation forces against innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip, in flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law. He also stressed the need to lift restrictions imposed on the entry of humanitarian and relief aid into the Strip, which is facing an unprecedented humanitarian disaster.

Further, he praised the outcomes of the Alaska Summit, which brought together the Presidents of the Russian Federation and the United States, stressing that this summit represents a positive and important step toward solving the Russian-Ukrainian crisis through dialogue and diplomacy. He reiterated the GCC’s firm position in calling for constructive dialogue to resolve all conflicts in a way that puts an end to humanitarian, security, and economic challenges, leads to a lasting peaceful settlement that ends the suffering of civilians, and contributes positively to regional and international security and stability. Minister Al-Yahya also commended Russia’s efforts aimed at urging the Republic of Iraq to exert maximum efforts to resolve all outstanding issues with Kuwait in accordance with the provisions of international law and relevant international resolutions. He emphasized the importance of the completion of the demarcation of the maritime border between Kuwait and Iraq beyond border marker 162, the full implementation of the agreement regulating maritime navigation in Khor Abdullah, concluded on April 29, 2012, and the importance of Iraq’s commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kuwait. The minister hoped that the upcoming Arab-Russian summit, scheduled for October 15, would yield positive, constructive results that would contribute to strengthening cooperation between the two sides in all fields. Earlier, Kuwait Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the eighth joint ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between the GCC and the Russian Federation, held in Sochi. (KUNA)