Kuwait-hosted GCC summit was "summit of qualitative achievements" - Al-Attiyah

By Omar Halabi (with photos) BEIRUT, Dec 30 (KUNA) -- Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Abdel Rahman Al-Attiyah praised on Wednesday the great achievements made by the Gulf Cooperation Council, capped with the 30th summit that was hosted by Kuwait on December 14-15.

Al-Attiyah, currently on an official visit to Lebanon, called in an interview with KUNA for promoting the approach of moderation in the region, resolving disputes among regional states with dialogue and urged for cooperation to combat terrorism and piracy, praising the GCC states for their successful fight of these two perils.
The GCC secretary general also praised the six member states of the council for the accomplishments in the sectors of education, development, economy, social services, military domain, their schemes aimed at realizing prosperity and stability for the peoples of the members states, dubbing the recent summit as "the summit of qualitative achievements." Elaborating, Al-Attiyah said among the latest achievements were the financial allocations for designing the joint GCC railway, in line with an initiative by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, seven years ago, noting that this project "had been a dream for the peoples of the GCC states and it turned into reality" The GCC has also adopted the establishment of the common monetary council, due to start functioning during the coming few months.
Al-Attiyah re-affirmed the "absolute" support of the member states for Saudi Arabia vis-a-vis recent cross-border attacks by irregular armed Huthi dissidents from neighboring Yemen.
Condemning the militiamen's violation of the Saudi border, Al-Attiyah said, "Any infringement on the Saudi security is tantamount to a breach of the collective security of the council states." Moreover, Al-Attiyah stressed on the necessity of maintaining unity, stability and security of Yemen, noting that "national dialogue constitutes the sole means to resolve the Yemeni crisis." Rebels of the Huthi Shiite sect have been engaged in bitter fighting against government troops for months.
The GCC chief praised the major role played by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and HH the Amir of Kuwait for realizing conciliation among warring Arab states.
As to his assessment of the conditions in Lebanon, Al-Attiyah said the GCC states consider President Michel Suleiman "as a character of conciliation" for the nation, and that the president's policy of moderation is the best for reconciling the Lebanese and enhancing the country's foreign policy.
Al-Attiyah, during a meeting with the president late on Tuesday, conveyed satisfaction of the GCC states at the level of the distinctive and growing ties between the council states and Lebanon, noting that these ties have been characterized with understanding, mutual respect and serious approach for the realization of the aspirations of the GCC and Lebanese peoples. Elaborating, he said that the president informed him about his recent visit to the US and the outcome of the talks he had held with senior leaders, namely President Barack Obama.
The GCC leader said he assured Suleiman about keenness of the GCC on the country's stability, Arab solidarity and supplying the country with all possible resources to ensure its prosperity and progress.
He called on the Palestinian factions to tackle their disputes and affirmed that the Palestinian cause could only be served through the unity of the Palestinian ranks.
Al-Attiyah criticized Israel's settlement policy, its bids to judaize the holy city of Jerusalem and the compulsory re-location of Christian and Muslim residents of the city. He urged the international community to exert pressure on Israel to lift the siege of Gaza, noting that the Goldstone report divulged the Israeli practices against the unarmed Palestinian people.
He re-affirmed the GCC support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, along with return of all Palestinians in diaspora to their homeland, according to relevant resolutions of the international legitimacy and the Arab peace initiative.
On Iran, Al-Attiyah said the GCC states have been bound with historic and evolving ties with the Iranian nation, saying, "we are keen on adopting dialogue to resolve the issues of dissension particularly Iran's occupation of the three United Arab Emirates' islands." He emphasized the necessity of clearing the Middle East and the Gulf of weapons of mass destruction and urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to "take all necessary measures to search the Israeli nuclear installations." (