Dubai: The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) rejected Wednesday what it said was Iranian interference in the region, Al Arabiya television said according to a statement by the regional body.
The foreign ministers of the GCC countries – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman – who were meeting in Riyadh, also affirmed their support for a political solution in Syria. The GCC statement also demanded a mechanism to impose a ceasefire in Syria.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Adel Al Jubeir who is also the chairman of the council’s current session.
The ministers also discussed the latest regional and international developments and the security situation in the region, including Syria, Libya and Iraq.
Yemen issue
The GCC Ministerial Council held a simultaneous meeting with the Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Nasser Judeh and the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Salah Al Deen Mezouar to discuss ways of improving the strategic ties between their two countries.
The council also met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Yemen Abdul Malek Al Mekhlafi to discuss the latest developments in Yemen.
The ministers’ meeting came a day ahead of tomorrow’s Arab League meeting in Cairo where Lebanon’s ties with GCC states in general and with Saudi Arabia in particular, will be in focus.
Rumours have suggested the Arab League could issue an expulsion warning if Beirut fails to dissuade Hezbollah from its active participation in several regional wars at Iran’s behest.
Lebanon is sharply divided over the party’s adventurism throughout the region, especially over its direct involvement in the Syrian civil war.
Source: Gulf News, 9 March 2016
