MANAMA, Dec 6 (KUNA) -- Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Abdullatif Al-Zayani said Saturday the GCC member states became stronger and more united after settlement of the recent row thanks to the wisdom of their leaders.
"We pin hopes that the coming Doha GCC Summit will be the summit of joy that will build on the achievement made during the Riyadh Summit," he said in an address to a session of the 10th Manama Dialogue.
The session was held under the title of "developing collective approach to security issues in the region." On the events in Yemen, Dr. Al-Zayani said that the GCC initiative is the key to solution, adding: "The initiative laid the groundwork for the national dialogue among all political forces and the subsequent Peace and National Partnership Agreement." He reaffirmed the GCC backing to Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and the government in their efforts to bring the country out of the current crisis.
However, he said: "Despite the support, Yemen is on the brink of a disaster due to the actions of some parties," without naming them.
Regarding Iran, the GCC chief recommended involving the Islamic Republic in the efforts to draw a regional security strategy and building confidence between Iran and the GCC states.
"The confidence-building measures have to start with Iran returning the occupied islands of Abu Moussa and Great and Lesser Tonbs to the United Arab Emirates (UAE)," he suggested.
He criticized the involvement of the Lebanese Hezbollah group in the armed conflict in Syria.
He urged empowering Peninsula Shield Force and unifying its command in order to guarantee the security of the region.
Meanwhile, British Secretary of State for Defense Michael Fallon reaffirmed support to the Iraq government in its efforts to rebuild its security forces and achieve national reconciliation.
Britain is one of 50 countries that offer military assistance to Iraq as part of the combat against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), he said, noting that the Islamic group cannot be defeated by airstrikes alone.
Neither airstrikes nor one country can defeat ISIL alone; partnerships are the cornerstone of the combat against terrorism, he affirmed.
The international coalition against ISIL aims to not only coordinate the military action but dry up the sources of funding for the group and coordinate the diplomatic efforts as well, Fallon went on.
He added that the defense strategy of Britain is to expand the partnership with the GCC states, citing as an example the recent signing of a British -Bahraini agreement on defense cooperation.
On his part, Canadian Minister Foreign Affairs John R. Baird said terrorist groups, such as ISIL, take advantage of sectarian differences which should be resolved through belief in cultural pluralism and coexistence, noting that pluralism is very helpful for economic and commercial cooperation as well.
Affirming Canada's support to the international combat against terrorism, Baird said military force is not enough to defeat terrorism but there should be economic boom to create better future for all people. (pickup previous) mge.gb