JEDDAH, June 15 (KUNA) -- Foreign ministers of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have affirmed keenness on using all possible resources for sake of bolstering security and stability of the regional countries.
The affirmation came in the final statement of the 119th session GCC Ministerial Council that concluded here, late on Tuesday. The session was chaired by its current head, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nuhayyan.
The ministers affirmed the crucial role of the joint Peninsula Shield Force for maintaining security and stability of the GCC member states, safeguarding these countries' resources and accomplishments. They also underscored necessity of pursuing economic and social development in these countries with the aim of enforcing security in this vital region of the globe, according to the official statement.
They expressed satisfaction at comeback of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Kuwait from the UK where His Highness underwent routine and successful medical checkups.
On Bahrain, they praised the decree, issued by the King, Hamad Bin Issa Al-Khalifa, lifting "the state of national safety," and his call on the country's political movements and parties to get engaged in a comprehensive national dialogue. They also affirmed their support for any regional or international efforts against terrorism.
The GCC ministers urged for re-activating various resolutions that have been issued by international and regional organizations and conventions for combating terrorism and appealed to the international community to respond to the GCC call for forming an international center for combating terrorism for exchange of intelligence information, monitoring activities and movements of terrorist groups and aborting their sabotage plots.
On Iran, the GCC ministers condemned the flagrant Iranian intervention in the domestic affairs of the GCC states, through conspiring against their national security, sowing seeds of sectarian discords among these states' citizens, labelling such meddling in the affairs of these countries as violation of their sovereignty, independence and principles of good-neighborliness, as well as relevant international covenants and laws.
Elaborating on this particular issue, the GCC ministerial council stressed on the necessity of abidance by the bases of the establishment of good-neighborliness ties, maintenance of mutual respect, resolving disputes peacefully, abstention from usage of force or resorting to threats, urging Iran to stop its hostile media campaigns and rhetoric against the GCC states for such an approach would not serve efforts for improving ties between the two sides.
Moreover, the GCC states expressed deep alarm at the issue of the Iranian nuclear file, affirming their basic and unwavering stance that Iran must abide by the relevant principles of the international legitimacy, resolving such issues peacefully and transforming the Middle East, including the Arab Gulf region, into a zone free of nuclear arms and weapons of mass destruction. They also welcomed efforts exerted by the 5+1 states for resolving this question, hoping that Iran would respond to these efforts positively.
-- Furthermore, the final statement of the GCC ministerial council affirmed right of states of the region to use the nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, according to relevant international treaties and criterion set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), under its supervision, and applying these criterion, with utmost transparency, on all the regional countries including Israel.
Israel must joint the IAEA Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and all its nuclear installations must be subject to inspection by the international agency.
As to the Palestinian cause and the Middle East peace issue, the ministers affirmed that the aspired just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region could only be achieved with Israel's full pullout from all Arab territories to the June 4, 1967 border line, and Tel Aviv's consent to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The GCC ministers expressed hope that the international community would exert serious efforts for resumption of the peace negotiations, urging it to act quickly for pressing ahead with the establishment of the Palestinian state, according to relevant international treaties, the road map and the Arab peace initiative.
They praised the recent declaration by the US President Barack Obama, calling for the establishment of the two states on the basis of the 1967 border lines. They also condemned the brutal Israeli attacks on Palestinian demonstrators on the anniversary of "Al-Nakba," urging the UN and the Quartet for the Middle east to pressure Israel halt such practices.
They welcomed the recent conciliation between the main Palestinian groups, Fatah and Hamas, urging them to hurriedly form a unity government to boost their struggle for attaining the rights of the Palestinian people. They also stressed on the necessity of lifting the Israeli siege of Gaza.
Regarding Yemen, the council expressed distress at the plight of the Yemeni people, urging the warring parties to abstain from violence and affirmed that the GCC could pursue conciliation efforts for this regional country.
On Iraq, the council re-affirmed respect for its national unity and territorial sovereignty, urging Baghdad to consider the brotherly ties that bound it with the GCC states, through non-intervention in the interior affairs of the council countries and halt "media campaigns that do not serve this purpose." The council stressed that Iraq must complete implementation of international resolutions, namely those related to the maintenance of border marks, determine destiny of the prisoners of Kuwait and other GCC countries as well as deliver remains of the Kuwaiti archive, much of which was stolen by the Iraqi aggressors during the occupation of Kuwait.
On Lebanon, the GCC official affirmed support for its unity and independence. On Sudan, they praised the Doha conciliation and called for peaceful settlement for Darfur.
Moreover, they expressed support for nomination by the UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon for a second term praising his great role for global peace. (end) yms.rk KUNA 150952 Jun 11NNNN