(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, Oct 6 (KUNA) -- The GCC-EU meeting reflects the shared desire to continue building on the solid achievements of cooperation and coordination between the two sides, said the Chairman of the Gulf Ministerial Council and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya.
During the 29th GCC-EU meeting, held in Kuwait, Minister Al-Yahya affirmed that constructive dialogue and strategic partnership represent the best way to address common challenges and strengthen the pillars of regional and international security, stability, and sustainable development.
Regional and international events have demonstrated that common challenges, such as terrorism, foreign interventions, threats to maritime security, and humanitarian crises, necessitate collective coordination and cooperation to promote the stability of populations and support peace and development, the minister added.
He also emphasized the need to launch joint initiatives that reflect a commitment to collective solutions and international solidarity.
Minister Al-Yahya stated that Gulf-European relations are based on the foundations of friendship and mutual interests, noting that the meeting complements the path established by the first historic summit between the two sides in Brussels on October 16, 2024.
Furthermore, he affirmed the keenness of both sides to enhance cooperation in regional security, energy security, the green economy, digital transformation, advanced technology, and cultural and educational exchange, to serve the aspirations of their peoples for a more stable and prosperous future.
On Palestine, Al-Yahya stressed that the Palestinian cause remains at the forefront of the GCC's priorities as a matter of right and justice.
He denounced the humanitarian tragedies experienced by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip as a result of the siege, destruction, and displacement, calling on the international community to take urgent action to stop the violations and enable the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Kuwaiti minister commended the efforts made by US President Donald Trump to stop the war in Gaza, lauding the joint initiative adopted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic to hold an international conference to implement the two-state solution.
He also welcomed the announcement by several friendly European countries of their recognition of the State of Palestine, expressing his hope that the scope of this recognition would expand in support of a just and comprehensive peace.
Minister Al-Yahya expressed Kuwait's support for the Syrian Arab Republic on its path toward stability and reconstruction, and for ongoing efforts to strengthen the sovereignty and stability of the Lebanese Republic.
He also went on calling all parties in Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, and Libya to prevail and engage in a political dialogue that achieves security, unity, and sovereignty for these sister countries.
Al-Yahya affirmed Kuwait's commitment to the principles of good neighborliness, calling on the Islamic Republic of Iran to take practical steps to build confidence, respect the sovereignty of states, refrain from interfering in their internal affairs, and fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure the safety of its nuclear facilities.
The minister reiterated that Iraq's security and stability are integral to Kuwait's security and stability, affirming Kuwait's commitment to helping Iraq fulfil the hopes and aspirations of its people within the framework of bilateral understandings agreed upon over more than two decades.
Kuwait also remains committed to the Khor Abdullah Agreement, the 2008 Security Exchange Protocol, and the call to complete the demarcation of the maritime border beyond mark 162 in accordance with the rules of international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, without regard to fixed lands, islands, or high waters.
Al-Yahya welcomed the Security Council's unanimous adoption of Resolution 2792 appointing a UN representative to follow up on the cases of Kuwaiti prisoners, missing persons, and property, expressing hope that the follow-up mechanism will contribute to achieving tangible progress on these issues with a humanitarian dimension.
He finally affirmed his confidence that the outcomes of the joint ministerial meeting will constitute a new building block in the edifice of the Gulf-European partnership. (end)
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