Doha: Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Al Yahya, who chairs the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council, affirmed the GCC’s full solidarity with and unwavering position in support of the State of Qatar, and its absolute support for the measures and procedures it may take to ensure the protection of its people and the preservation of its security and territorial integrity, based on the collective responsibility to preserve and enhance the security and stability of the region.
According to Qatar News Agency, in the opening speech he delivered today at the 8th joint ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the Russian Federation held in Sochi, Russia, Al Yahya indicated that aggression against any GCC country is considered an aggression against all GCC countries, saying that what have been witnessed of the sinful aggression against the fraternal State of Qatar by the Israeli occupation forces at a time when the peoples of the region were hoping for security and stability and were making great efforts to avoid the scourge of tension and conflict, the Israeli practices and its dangerous aggression against the fraternal State of Qatar come to undermine these efforts and constitute an extremely dangerous escalation.
He stressed that today’s meeting is not just a regular meeting, but also 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 building solid bridges that expand areas of joint cooperation. He noted that the launch of the strategic dialogue between the two sides on Nov. 1, 2011, represented an important milestone in the history of joint relations, as the memorandum of understanding signed at that time established a permanent institutional framework for holding annual ministerial meetings that strengthened ties of political, economic and trade cooperation, and also laid a solid foundation for coordination in facing regional and international challenges.
Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated his strong condemnation and denunciation of the policy of starvation, repression, and displacement pursued by the Israeli occupation forces against innocent civilians in Gaza, in flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law. He emphasized the need to lift restrictions on the entry of humanitarian and relief aid into the Strip, which is facing an unprecedented humanitarian disaster.
He also voiced the GCC’s firm stance in calling for constructive dialogue to reach a solution to all conflicts that would put an end to humanitarian, security, and economic challenges, lead to a lasting peaceful settlement that would end the suffering of civilians, and contribute positively to regional and international security and stability.