Foreign Minister chairs Arab meeting in Cairo

Cairo, May 28 (BNA): The Chairman of the Ministerial Council of the (145) session of the Arab League, The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, chaired today in Cairo, the Arab League Council meeting at the ministerial level in its extraordinary session. The meeting was held in the presence of His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbasan d Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya and Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj The Foreign Minister stressed in his speech that the pace of developments and gravity in the region impose the necessity to research and consult on necessary and urgent steps and develop practical and effective mechanisms to deal with the challenges facing Arab countries, affecting the future of their people. The Foreign Minister said that the Arab League summit meeting at its 27thsession to be held in July in Mauritania, requires hard work and proper preparation to discuss issues of concern, especially with regard to the development of our joint work with strengthen our solidity, and put an end to attempts to interfere in our affairs or seek to provoke discord and chaos in our region; in addition to reaching outcomes that promote Arab interests and enhance mechanisms of joint Arab action, which will continue to be the basic foundation helping to face the challenges our countries face and to strengthen our security and stability. The Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that, while the Palestinian cause is going through a very difficult stage, yet we will never lose hope in achieving just and comprehensive peace that restores the Palestinian people rights to and ensure the region’s security and stability, bringing peace, stability development and prosperity. The Foreign Minister stressed that this will be achieved when everyone carries their responsibilities, abide by international law and the implementation of initiatives aimed at resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict, particularly the Arab peace initiative, which still provide a historic opportunity to end this conflict, and ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital and provide security for Israel security to live in peace with the Arab and Muslim nations. Shaikh Khalid commended the French initiative aiming to resolve the Palestinian issue, praising the efforts of the French Republic and its serious desire to develop a just solution to the issue, stressing that the initiative encourages the need to exert more efforts and look forward to the peace process with optimism in finding a lasting solution to end the suffering of the Palestinian people; hoping that the initiative will be implemented and receive the necessary support by all parties. The Foreign Minister welcomed the cessation of hostilities in Yemen, calling on everyone to take advantage of this opportunity and invest to reach a comprehensive political settlement in accordance with the determinants and represented in the Security Council resolution No. 2216 (2015), the Gulf initiative, and the outcomes of the comprehensive national dialogue, in addition to ensuing access of humanitarian assistance to the Yemeni people. Shaikh Khalid affirmed that there is no going backwards at this critical moment in Yemen’s history making it necessary to uphold Yemen's security, stability and territorial integrity, and seek the success of the current talks under UN auspices being held in Kuwait, commending the great efforts made by the UN envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, in order to achieve the aspirations of the Yemeni people of stability, development and prosperity. The Foreign Minister expressed Bahrain’s support for all that benefits Yemen until security is achieved under the legitimate government led by President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, protecting the country’s sovereignty, and by contributing to all humanitarian efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people. The Foreign Minister stressed that Libya is going through a fragile stage that requires a unified stand to help the Libyan people pass this stage in order to preserve Libya's unity and stability, through providing full support of the political process and the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord under the leadership of Prime Minister Fayez Seraj, to be able to cope with various challenges, particularly extremism, violence and terrorism and the consolidation of state institutions and its unity, calling on the presidential Council to coordinate with all the legitimate Libyan political parties to build grounds of the institutions state sought by the Libyan people and provide the necessary support to the government by enabling it to lead the country through this delicate and difficult stage. The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, gave a statement reviewing the latest developments in the Palestinian issue and the French initiative to resolve the Palestinian issue. Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya and Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj also gave an update on the situation in Libya. Dr. Nabil Elaraby the Secretary General of the Arab League explained the efforts of the League to support joint Arab action and address the region’s issues. The meeting also discussed the next diplomatic moves regarding the Palestinian issue and the preparation of the draft agenda of the Arab League summit meeting which will be held in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott in July 2016, as well as the developments of the situation in Libya and the latest developments in Yemen.