His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah affirmed on Tuesday that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will carry on its leading role in the region despite the numerous challenges and upheavals.
Delivering his speech at the inauguration of the 38th Gulf Summit in Kuwait on Tuesday, His Highness the Amir welcomed the participation of various delegations in the grand meeting.
The holding of the summit proves to the world that the GCC, as an important entity, needs to continue to address the needs of the people of the region, said His Highness the Amir.
His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah thanked the Bahraini King Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa for hosting the previous summit in Manama, saying that the Bahraini leadership and people always contributed to the success of the GCC since its inception.
His Highness the Amir touched on the Gulf countries' joint accomplishments since the formation of the council, adding that the future still holds more goals to achieve and milestones to surpass.
Uniting the Gulf countries efforts against regional and international challenges will ensure the security and stability of the council, His Highness the Amir affirmed.
The International community managed to achieve victories against terrorism in both Iraq and Syria; however, the threat of extremism is still at large, said His Highness the Amir who called for more efforts in this regard.
His Highness the Amir lauded the Saudi efforts in uniting the front of the Syrian opposition, hoping that this policy will bring peace to the war-torn country.
Focusing on Yemen, His Highness the Amir commended the efforts carried out by the coalition, which supports the legitimacy in Yemen, adding that it was important to continue providing all forms of assistance, especially humanitarian relief, to the Yemenis.
His Highness the Amir called on the Houthi group to abide by the political solution in Yemen, saying that the UNSC resolution 2216, the Gulf initiative, and national dialogue were part of the solution.
Concerning the peace process in the Middle East, His Highness the Amir expressed hopes that such stalemate in the process be moved forward in order to reach a just and everlasting peace agreement for the sake of substantiating the stability of the region and the world in accordance to the Arab peace initiative and international resolutions in this regard.
His Highness the Amir also congratulated the Iraqis for liberating areas that were under the control of the so-called Islamic State (IS/Daesh).
He reiterated the GCC's bid to continue working with the Iraqi government to maintain stability of Iraq, stressing the significance of participation in the conference slated for mid-February in Kuwait dedicated for the reconstruction of Iraqi areas affected by Daesh.
On Iran, His Highness the Amir said that the Islamic Republic of Iran was still violating principles of international law.
He called on Iran to abide by rules, which respect the sovereignty and internal affairs of neighboring states, affirming that this was an integral condition, which ensures the stability of the region.
His Highness the Amir asked Allah Almighty to preserve stability of the GCC states and continue bestowing his blessings and welfare on the GCC peoples. (end) tg.gta