Friday 27 / September / 2024
New York: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United States of America (US) held joint ministerial meeting in New York today. The meeting was co-chaired by US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Sheikh Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, current chairman of the GCC Ministerial Council.
The meeting saw the participation of GCC foreign ministers and GCC Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi.
The Ministers underscored their shared commitment to the strategic partnership between the GCC and the United States. They pledged to build upon the achievements of previous ministerial meetings (including the most recent one held in Riyadh on 29 April 2024) and to strengthen consultation, coordination and cooperation in all fields.
The Ministers expressed their support for the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state existing in peace and security side by side with Israel along the 1967 borders, with mutually agreed land swaps, in accordance with internationally recognized parameters and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.
The Ministers stressed the necessity of allowing all civilians displaced after October 7 to return to their homes. They reaffirmed conviction that a durable peace will be the foundation for a more integrated, stable, and prosperous region. They also underscored the need to intensify efforts to boost transparency within the Palestinian Authority in accordance with established mechanisms.
The Ministers affirmed that there must be unified Palestinian-led governance in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority. In this context, they vowed to support Palestinian aspirations of self-determination, ensuring that Palestinians are at the centre of post-conflict governance and security in Gaza. The Ministers further expressed their support for improving Palestinian quality of life, including the supply of humanitarian assistance and efforts to accelerate Palestinian economic growth.
The Ministers expressed deep concern over rising scale of violence exercised by settlers and other extremists against Palestinians in the West Bank. They stressed the need to hold the perpetrators accountable.
They also underlined the importance of refraining from unilateral actions, including the expansion of settlements and other actions that might impede the prospects of genuine peace and security for the Israelis and Palestinians alike.
The Ministers also underscored the need to protect all holy sites and places of worship and to preserve the historical status quo of Al Quds city (Jerusalem), while recognizing the special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in this regard.
The Ministers pledged to work together to achieve an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and to secure the release of prisoners and detainees in line with the criteria set by the US President on 31 May 2024 and UN Security Council Resolution 2735.
The ministers called on the parties to refrain from actions that would undermine efforts to achieve progress on the diplomatic track.
The ministers stressed the importance of reaching an agreement by Egypt and Israel to reopen the Rafah border crossing to help facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. They expressed their commitment to continue working together on governance, security and early recovery in Gaza.
The ministers praised the steady efforts made by the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to encourage the realization of a comprehensive Yemeni dialogue and to provide economic and humanitarian assistance to Yemen.
The ministers affirmed their determination to contribute to regional security, stability and prosperity within the framework of the GCC-US strategic partnership.
They also reaffirmed their mutual determination to establish stronger relations in all areas --- including defence and security cooperation --- and to develop a collective approach to regional issues.
The ministers also stressed the importance of the principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence in relations between countries, as stated in the Bahrain Declaration issued on 16 May 2024.
The ministers also laid emphasis on providing educational and health services to those affected by conflicts in the region.
The Ministers affirmed their condemnation of violence and hatred. They called on all countries to respect human rights and ensure that those rights are accorded to all individuals within their territories and subject to their jurisdiction, as stated in relevant international law.
