GCC-EU Joint Ministerial Meeting Kicks Off

Doha, May 24 (QNA) - The 24th GCC-EU Joint Minister Meeting kicked off in Doha Sunday under the chairmanship of HE Qatar's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah. The meeting tackles the relations between the GCC countries and the European Union countries and means of promoting them in all areas, with a focus on issues related to the Free Trade Agreement, and the mutual cooperation between the two sides. Addressing the opening session, HE the Foreign Minister Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah said that the meeting is being held amidst crucial regional and international circumstances and variables conditions which stress the need to promote joint cooperation between the GCC and the EU countries through exploring new horizons of cooperation, expanding the scopes of economic and trade relations and enhancing coordination of policies and positions towards international and regional issues in order to face all challenges, realize mutual interests and preserve international peace and security. HE the Foreign Minister added that the rapid growth and development in the pace of GCC-EU relations, especially in the economic and commercial field, requires more efforts to overcome the difficulties that both sides face in this regard, especially the difficulties that hinder the final signing of the Free Trade Agreement between the two groups. He pointed out that the European Union is a strategic trade partner of the Gulf Cooperation Council, where two-way trade volume between the two groups rose to more than 138 billion euros in 2014 compared to 100 billion euros in 2010. At the political level, HE the Foreign Minister said that the two sides achieved many accomplishments through their unified positions toward a lot of regional and international issues, which has a positive role, particularly in the area of maintaining international peace and security. HE the Foreign Minister Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah underlined the GCC keenness and full commitment to preserve Yemen's unity and territorial integrity, respect its sovereignty and independence, reject any interference in its internal affairs, and to stand by the Yemeni people to realize their aspirations and support the legitimacy and the political process in accordance with the GCC initiative and its executive mechanism and the outputs of the national dialogue, which was held in Yemen in 2014, and the Riyadh Declaration issued on 19 May and the Security Council relevant resolutions. He called on the international community to take urgent measures to address the difficult humanitarian situation of the Yemeni people, valuing the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in support of the brotherly Yemeni people through the establishment of King Salman Center for relief and humanitarian aid. On the other hand, HE the Foreign Minister said that the faltering peace process in the Middle East causes a lot of tension within the region and indeed the world. He called for a hard work and GCC-EU cooperation with actors in the international community to resume the peace process, lift the siege on Gaza Strip, stop settlement activities and end the Israeli occupation of Arab territories in accordance with the United Nations resolutions, relevant Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. Meanwhile, HE the Foreign Minister highlighted the humanitarian disaster in Syria in light of the crimes committed by the regime against the Syrian people, which exceeded all ethical standards and humanitarian and international laws. He urged to intensify joint efforts with the international community to stop the violence and bloodshed through the support of the international community's efforts to reach a political solution to achieve the aspirations of the Syrian people and preserve Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity in accordance with Geneva 1 resolutions. In the Libyan matter, the Foreign Minister said that the continued and increasing violence threatens the security, stability and unity of Libya and requires support for the comprehensive national dialogue. He urged the Libyan people to shoulder national responsibilities and continue dialogue to find a solution and end the state of division and achieve the aspirations of the Libyan people. HE the Foreign Minister also pointed out to the suffering of the Iraqi people which is increasing with the deteriorating security situation and terrorist operations. He urged to support the Iraqi government to face terrorist groups, to achieve national reconciliation and to ensure equality of rights and duties among the Iraqi people. HE Al Attiyah stressed the importance of maintaining the GCC security and stability in light of its important strategic potentials, saying that achieving the GCC stability serves the joint interests of countries in the region and the international community as a whole. He underlined the GCC consistent position towards the Iranian nuclear file and the agreement to be concluded between the Group 5+1, to be a comprehensive agreement that dispels all regional and international concerns and avoids the Gulf region any dangers or threats while recognizing the right of countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with international rules in this regard. The Foreign Minister underlined that the GCC countries are looking forwards to cooperate with Iran on the basis of principles of good-neighborliness and non-interference in the internal affairs, solve disputes by peaceful means and end the occupation of the three UAE islands. Meanwhile, HE the Foreign Minister said that terrorism is the most dangerous challenge facing the international community and poses a real threat to international peace and security, noting the latest criminal bombing of Qatif mosque in Saudi Arabia last Friday. He underlined the support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all measures taken to confront acts of violence that aim at destabilizing the security and stability and sow sectarian strife. ""We condemn and reject terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and we must intensify efforts to eradicate it from its roots by addressing all causes and confront the real factors that led to its prominence, with the need to differentiate between terrorism and resistance to the occupation and the right of peoples to struggle for self-determination," HE the Foreign Minister said. (MORE)