By Nawab Khan (With EU-TOUR)
BRUSSELS, June 12 (KUNA) -- The European Union (EU) Wednesday heaped praise on Kuwait's role for stability and peace in the region.
"Kuwait's stance is deeply appreciated by the European Union. His Highness the Amir's commitment to peace and stability stands out as a bulwark in the Gulf region and we regard Kuwait as a natural ally in promoting regional cooperation and, allow me the expression, fostering "wasatiyya" at a critical time," Helga Maria Schmid, Secretary General of EEAS, told the Kuwait News Agency, KUNA, in an interview ahead of her visit to three Gulf countries and Iran.
The "EU knows that it can count on Kuwait to work towards the promotion of a rules-based order, built on mutual respect and the defence of human rights and principles," she said.
"We have valued Kuwait's presidency of the UN Security Council and its leading role in the stabilisation of Iraq. Kuwait's generous contributions to UNRWA in Palestine, to Syrian refugees in Jordan or to children in Yemen are remarkable examples of its humanitarianism", said the senior EU diplomat.
Schmid noted that although she will not be able to visit Kuwait this time, she hoped that she will have soon other opportunities to meet the Kuwaiti authorities.
"We are working together on an important and eloquent milestone: the opening of an EU Delegation in Kuwait" she said.
She begins her visit today to the UAE followed by Oman, Qatar and Iran.
Schmid said the EU has been active for years with its international and regional partners in trying to address the multiple challenges that the Gulf is facing.
"During the past few weeks, we have seen a worrying trend towards escalation. We are concerned about this period of intensified hostility, which, in the absence of any form of structured cooperation or regular dialogue, maybe very risky for the stability of the region," said Schmid who is a German diplomat.
Although there is no one single set of solution, the goal is to promote dialogue as an antidote to confrontation. I am going there to express the EU's concern about the rise of tensions, listen to our partners' views and share our assessment, she told KUNA.
"I will also stress our support for the opening of channels of dialogue and reflect how the EU could be useful in helping to de-escalate. I will use this opportunity to share the ongoing European efforts for the preservation of the nuclear deal with Iran (JCPOA), which is key to the stability and security in the Middle East and beyond as well as a crucial element of the international non-proliferation architecture," she stressed.
"Our discussions will focus on the latest regional developments and on the situation in the region more broadly, including issues of common concern, such as the conflicts in Yemen and Syria, the Middle East Peace Process, and the situation in Libya and in Sudan", she said.
The visit will also be an opportunity to talk about bilateral relations. "We are keen to continue deepening our relations on an individual basis as well as through the Gulf Cooperation Council", said Schmid.
"We are already exchanging on a wide variety of issues, from energy cooperation to trade and investment, to security and counterterrorism. It is our firm belief that by strengthening our ties we will be able to better appreciate each others' concerns and develop a relationship that is not only mutually beneficial but one that serves the stability and prosperity of the EU and the Gulf region," said the EU diplomat.
"In Iran, where I will travel to after my visit to UAE, Oman and Qatar, I will of course also discuss the state of play regarding the implementation of the JCPOA, including the operationalisation of the Instrument in support of trade exchanges (INSTEX), aiming to provide a mechanism for legitimate trade with Iran. All actors should take a constructive approach in order to preserve regional stability," she stressed.
She noted that the relationship between the EU and the GCC dates back three decades. It is one of the oldest multilateral partnerships for the EU. Our Cooperation Agreement, which we signed in 1988, remains our legal basis and provides for exchanges on an array of topics. Despite the crisis that is affecting the GCC since 2017, we have continued our cooperation whenever possible, in areas such as Clean Energy, Economic Diversification, Technology, Trade and Investment and others, said Schmid.
"We have expressed our wish, however, of seeing again a politically united GCC. As the only regional inter-state organisation, the GCC's contribution to stability is very much valued by the EU," she added.
European External Action Service (EEAS) is the diplomatic service of the EU. (end) nk