A+ A-

GCC urges US to lessen effects of JASTA - Saudi official

RIYADH, Oct 27 (KUNA) - The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states have pressed the US government to mitigate any detrimental effects induced by the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf said on Thursday. In a statement to the press after a meeting of GCC finance ministers and the US Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew, with participation of Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Acting Oil Minister Anas Al-Saleh, Al-Assaf said that JASTA could have a ripple effect across the world.
Meanwhile,, the Saudi Finance Minister noted that the meeting tackled a number of issues germane to financial and economic cooperation, including plans to avert double taxation which will prove crucial to commercial investment.
For his part, the US Secretary of Treasury Jacob Lew warned of the ill effects caused by JASTA on his country's ties with the GCC, adding the act will, "introduce major changes to international law, particularly, as it applies to sovereign immunity." On a related note, US President Barack Obama has warned that JASTA could have an adverse effect on the US ties with the international community, possibly paving the way for legal action against US soldiers.
In late September, the US Congress approved JASTA, which allows Americans to sue foreign nations for acts of terrorism.
The meeting, which brought together GCC finance ministers and the US Secretary of Treasury for the first time, aimed to further strengthen strategic ties between the US and the GCC. (end) yms.nam