Saudi Gazette report

NEW YORK — The Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United States has reaffirmed that a durable peace is essential for a more integrated, stable, and prosperous region. The ministers expressed deep concern over recent escalations in the region and their negative impact on security and stability.

The meeting, which was held on Wednesday in New York, was co-chaired by US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who currently chairs the GCC Ministerial Council. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and foreign ministers from other GCC states and GCC Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi attended the meeting.

The ministers underscored their shared commitment to the strategic partnership between the GCC and the United States, building on the achievements of previous ministerial meetings, including the most recent one in Riyadh on April 29, 2024. They emphasized the importance of strengthening consultation, coordination, and cooperation in all fields.

The ministers conveyed their support for the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state living in peace and security alongside Israel along the 1967 borders, with mutually agreed land swaps, in accordance with internationally recognized parameters and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative. They stressed the need for all civilians displaced after October 7 to return to their homes and reaffirmed their belief that a durable peace is essential for a more integrated, stable, and prosperous region. They also emphasized the need to strengthen the capacity, effectiveness, and transparency of the Palestinian Authority, advocating for unified Palestinian-led governance in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

The ministers committed to supporting Palestinian aspirations for self-determination, ensuring that Palestinians are central to post-conflict governance and security in Gaza. They expressed support for improving the quality of life for Palestinians through humanitarian assistance and efforts to accelerate economic growth. The ministers expressed deep concern over rising levels of settler and extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and stressed the need for accountability for perpetrators. They called for a halt to unilateral actions, including settlement expansions, that hinder the prospects for peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. They highlighted the importance of protecting all holy sites and places of worship while preserving the historic status quo in Jerusalem, recognizing the special role of Jordan.

The ministers committed to working towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees, consistent with President Biden's parameters laid out on May 31, 2024, and United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2735. They urged all parties to refrain from actions that could undermine diplomatic efforts. The ministers commended the mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, as articulated in the August 8 joint statement emphasizing the urgency for a ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees. They reiterated the importance of adhering to international law, including humanitarian law.

The ministers acknowledged the generous support provided by GCC states and the United States to deliver aid to Gaza, emphasizing the critical role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in distributing life-saving assistance. They called for an increase in the rapid and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and stressed the urgent need to restore basic services and ensure protection for humanitarian workers. They highlighted the necessity for stakeholders to facilitate humanitarian distribution networks across Gaza to alleviate suffering and reiterated that all parties must ensure the safety of aid workers. The ministers reiterated the importance of Egypt and Israel reaching an agreement to reopen the Rafah Border Crossing to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza and committed to collaborating on governance, security, and early recovery efforts in the region.

The ministers expressed deep concern over recent escalations in the region and their negative impact on security and stability. They emphasized the importance of compliance with international law, including the United Nations Charter, and respect for the sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity of states.

The ministers voiced serious concerns about the proliferation of advanced ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that threaten regional security. The GCC and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to addressing Iran's regional activities, including threats to sovereignty and support for destabilizing non-state actors, while promoting diplomatic efforts for de-escalation.

The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security in the region's waterways and their determination to deter illegal actions by Houthis that threaten the safety of seafarers and shipping lanes. They underscored their support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and renewed their call for Iran to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), ceasing nuclear activities lacking credible civilian justification.

The ministers reiterated that regional tensions should be resolved through peaceful means and expressed support for the United Arab Emirates' call for a peaceful resolution to the dispute over the three islands—Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa—through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter.

The meeting expressed deep concern over the humanitarian situation facing the Yemeni civilian population and stressed the need for the Houthis to allow safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid. They noted that Houthi attacks—both inside and outside Yemen—primarily harm the Yemeni people and called for the immediate release of all UN, NGO, and diplomatic staff detained by the Houthis. The ministers demanded full implementation of UNSCR 2722, emphasized the importance of maritime security, and called on the Houthis to halt attacks against vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They highlighted the necessity of collective action to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and respond to activities threatening regional and global security.

The ministers reaffirmed their strong support for an inclusive peace process within the framework of the GCC Initiative, Yemen's National Dialogue outcomes, and UNSCR 2216 to resolve the longstanding conflict in Yemen. They commended Saudi Arabia and Oman for their sustained efforts to encourage inclusive Yemeni dialogue and provide economic and humanitarian assistance.

The meeting recalled their September 18, 2023 meeting and stressed Iraq's commitment to Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as adherence to international conventions and UN resolutions, particularly UNSCR 833 regarding the demarcation of the Kuwait-Iraq boundary. They called for the complete demarcation of the Kuwait-Iraq maritime boundary beyond boundary point 162 and urged Iraq to ensure the 2012 Kuwait-Iraq Agreement governing maritime navigation in Khor Abdullah remains in force.

The ministers supported UNSCR 2732 (2024), tasking the UN Secretary General with facilitating progress on all outstanding issues between Iraq and Kuwait, including the repatriation of Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and the return of Kuwaiti property and National Archives. They acknowledged the critical ongoing and future role of the UN in implementing UNSCR 1284 and urged Iraq to make maximum efforts to resolve all related issues.

The ministers reaffirmed their shared determination to contribute to regional security, stability, and prosperity within the framework of the GCC-US Strategic Partnership. They underscored their mutual resolve to strengthen relations across all fields, including defense and security cooperation, and develop collective approaches to regional challenges.

The ministers commended the progress made by the May 22 GCC-US Integrated Air and Missile Defense and Maritime Security Working Groups in Riyadh, emphasizing their role in promoting strategic cooperation. They praised the GCC Early Warning Study as part of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Working Group held in September in Alabama and acknowledged the successful fifth GCC-US Trade and Investment Dialogue meeting in June in Washington, noting the importance of a recent joint meeting on a small modular reactors study tour.

The ministers emphasized the importance of inclusion, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence in international relations, as highlighted in the May 16, 2024, Bahrain Declaration. They reiterated the necessity of providing educational and healthcare services to those affected by regional conflicts. The ministers condemned violence and hate, including religious intolerance such as Islamophobia and anti-semitism, calling on all states to respect and uphold human rights in accordance with international law.

They noted the Security Council's recognition in Resolution 2686 that hate speech, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related forms of intolerance can exacerbate conflicts.