Interior minister chairs Arab security meeting

Tunis, Mar. 2 (BNA): Interior Minister Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa chaired the 33rd Session of Arab Interior Ministers Council which was held under the patronage of the Tunisian President Mohamed Beji Caid Essebsi. The Interior Minister addressed the opening session, delivering the following speech of the Kingdom of Bahrain: "I’m glad to express thanks and appreciation of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Naif Al Saud, the Honorary President of the Arab Interior Ministers' Council for the ongoing support to Arab joint security work". "I would also like to thank Tunisian Interior Minister Al-Hadi Mejdoub for the warm hospitality and the efforts of the former Algerian Interior Minister Taib Belaiz in the previous session". "I’m also glad to praise the role of the General Security of the Arab Interior Ministers Council Dr Mohammed bin Ali Kuman and all personnel of the General Secretariat for the efforts to make this meeting a success". "Brothers, our agenda includes important security topics, including the Arab Security Agreement project , the formation of High Arab Security Meeting, Arab Security Strategy and Arab Counterterrorism Strategy that were handled with specialised teams and committees, in addition to the decisions of the meeting of Interior Ministry Undersecretaries. I thank them all for their sincere efforts in discussing the topics in the agenda". "Brothers, we should discuss in this distinguished security presence the general security situation in Arab countries. We are meeting within dangerous security conditions and the meeting is an opportunity to gather our Arab frontline. It is a frontline that faces increasing challenges and security risks. Each Arab country faces security challenges and they vary from one country to another. Unfortunately there is general damage in our Arab security cohesion. Our culture used to be an Arab depth that represents a guarantee of stability, but this matter and feeling isn’t a reality anymore. This pushed for various security agendas by countries to defend their security and stability". "Brothers, Arab efforts to defend the security of the nation from foreign dangers that is led by the brotherly Saudi Arabia and efforts of Arab countries in facing terrorism threats are appreciated. We need to build on them. We aren’t expecting the security future to be better than today. If we won’t suggest the required security solutions who will? How we separately plan for security future if we won’t deal with threats?" "Brothers, we are meeting today and the Arab scene witnesses many incidents and conflicts. Arabs became refugees and the refugees issue has become a crisis that overburdens countries, especially with the continuation of violence, killing and political escalation, in addition to terrorism and sectarianism that target all even places of worship". "To achieve the targeted stability, there is a need for active group measures to confront such danger in accordance to a comprehensive vision that considered all aspects. From our experiences and incidents we learned the importance of commitment to national and regional security". |"Brothers, Iranian interference is considered as a threat to a number of countries and you are aware that the interference covers several dimensions, including terrorism backing, sectarian and religious terrorism, promoting chaos and political interference. It is organised work to achieve the Persian domination against the nationalism and Arabism through the help of Revolutionary Guards, terrorist Hezbollah and its media organisations". "Despite all attempts and callings to stop the Iranian interference and the respect of the state sovereignty and the neighbouring right, the terrorism-supporting authorities in Iran continue with such approach". "We in Bahrain have dealt with this danger, revealed its dimensions and failed its plots. This cost us a number of martyrs and thousands of injured. This is not new and we won’t accept that this dangerous interference to be only a media news for being illegal violation that is penalised by the international norms and conventions. The regret is that we face a threat that comes from brotherly Arab countries". "We haven’t interfered in the affairs of anyone, and won’t accept disturbance to our security to take away our Arabism. We are going to protect our society from wrong belief and from all types of foreign allegiances, such as Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists. Arabism lives with diversity in sects and races and it is protected from greed and foreign interferences". "From here brothers, the unify stance and word and joint efforts could put a limit to violations as the protection of regional security is a joint responsibility. Incidents have proven the activeness of joint Arab efforts in stopping foreign greed that threatens our nation and its identity". "Your Highnesses and Excellencies, I suggest the formation of a team under the General Secretariat to study the general Arab security and provide suggestions and recommendations to achieve security and stability in the Arab countries". At the end of the session, the council issued a statement entitled "Tunisia Declaration to Fight Terrorism" that denounced all forms and sources of terrorism and terrorism acts and financing. The declaration also condemned the attack against the Saudi embassy in Iran and the harsh treatment of Saudi diplomats and their families". "The ministers condemned the kidnapping of Qataris in Iraq and the Iranian practices to destabilize security and stability of Bahrain and other Arab countries, in addition to the dangerous practices of Hezbollah to disturb security and social peace in some Arab countries. They announced their backing of the Arab alliance and efforts to support the legitimacy in Yemen and combat Al Qaeda, Daesh and Houthi militias. The minister was accompanied by senior Interior Ministry officers.