GCC, UK pledge to jointly tackle regional challenges

Manama — Leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed on Wednesday to launch the GCC-UK Strategic Partnership to foster closer relations in all fields, including political, defense, security, and trade, as well as enhancing people-to-people contact, and developing collective approaches to regional issues. In a communiqué issued at the end of their two-day summit here, the leaders pledged to tackle regional threats and threats to their security. The GCC member states and the UK will work together to counter Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region. They stressed the need for Iran to engage the region according to the principles of good neighborliness, strict non-interference in domestic affairs, and respect for territorial integrity, consistent with international law and the United Nations Charter, and for Iran to take concrete, practical steps to build trust and resolve its differences with its neighbors by peaceful means. “The UK remains committed to working with GCC states to deter external aggression and interference in their internal affairs contrary to international law and the UN Charter, just as it did during the Gulf War and on other occasions. The GCC and UK expressed unequivocal commitment to secure, through the new GCC-UK Strategic Partnership, their shared security interests in the Gulf region, and deter external aggression. They committed to strengthening engagement on security assistance, cooperation and training,” said the communiqué. It said that the GCC and UK partners share a vision for a peaceful and prosperous region by addressing the most pressing regional conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Libya, as well as the Middle East Peace Process. They pledged to work together to defeat violent extremists including Daesh, and counter Iran’s destabilizing activities. On regional conflicts, the leaders decided on a set of common principles, including a shared recognition that there is no military solution to the region’s armed civil conflicts. These can only be resolved through political and peaceful means, respect for all states’ sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs contrary to international law, the need for inclusive governance in conflict-ridden societies, as well as protection of all minorities and of human rights. The leaders committed to continue working toward a sustainable political resolution in Syria that ends the war and establishes an inclusive government that protects all ethnic and religious communities, and preserves state institutions. The leaders reaffirmed that Assad has lost all legitimacy and has no role in Syria’s future. The international community needs to be united in calling for the Assad regime and its backers, including Russia and Iran, to support a meaningful end to the violence, sustained humanitarian access and an inclusive political process. They agreed to increase regional pressure on the Assad regime and its backers through financial sanctions and economic constraints. They strongly supported increased efforts to degrade and defeat Daesh in Syria, and warned against the influence of other extremist groups, such as Al-Nusrah, Hezbollah and other sectarian organizations and Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist groups, that represent a danger to the Syrian people, to the region and to the international community. They expressed deep concern over the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Syria and condemned the prevention of aid distribution to the civilian population by the Assad regime or any other party. With regard to Yemen, both the GCC member states and the UK emphasized the need to resolve the conflict peacefully through political dialogue and negotiations facilitated by the UN based on the GCC initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference, UN Security Council Resolution 2216 and other relevant UNSC Resolutions. They rejected the unilateral actions by the parties in Sanaa around the formulation of a political counsel and a government, which undermine the UN facilitated peace efforts. The GCC member states and the UK committed to supporting the implementation of the UN Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, in line with UN General Assembly resolution 70/291 of 1 July 2016. As encouraged in that Resolution, the GCC member state and the UK will collaborate in supporting UN member states, regional and sub-regional organizations to develop national and regional plans of action to prevent violent extremism. They will help develop effective responses to violent extremism and ideology, and provide resilience in vulnerable communities by reinforcing efforts by the United Nations and the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum and its operational arms. The GCC member states and the UK will also establish a National Security Dialogue, to build GCC member states’ capacity to coordinate security issues more effectively, and develop a framework for a regional response to crises. This Dialogue will broaden and integrate security cooperation to include, for example, cyber, serious organized crime, and counter-extremism.