Foreign Minister participates in 45th GCC ministerial council meeting

Doha, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated in the 45th extraordinary meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ministerial council, held in Qatar. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, chaired the meeting as the current President of the ministerial council. Foreign Ministers from GCC member states and Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the GCC, were also present. The meeting addressed recent regional developments and their impact on security and stability. The meeting issued a statement highlighting the concerns over rising tensions in Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank. This includes the threats to Al Aqsa Mosque and other religious sites. The council condemned the escalation in Lebanon and Palestine, warning of its far-reaching consequences for regional and international peace and security. It called on all involved parties to exercise restraint, cease violence, and engage in dia logue, urging the international community to take responsibility for maintaining regional stability and upholding international resolutions. Reaffirming the GCC's solidarity with Lebanon, the council called for increased international and regional efforts to provide urgent humanitarian aid, alleviate civilian suffering, and prevent the situation from escalating further. The council also emphasised the importance of implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, related international resolutions, and the Taif Agreement to restore stability and protect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Moreover, the council affirmed its support for the people of Palestine, condemning Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. It called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the lifting of the blockade, and the release of hostages and detainees. The council underscored the importance of immediately opening all crossings without conditions and ensuring the safe delivery of hum anitarian aid, medical supplies, and essential goods to the residents of the Gaza Strip in compliance with international law and humanitarian law. They commended the role of the GCC countries, in cooperation with strategic partners, particularly the United States, in de-escalating tensions, enhancing security and stability, protecting maritime navigation in the region, and ensuring the region's security, stability, and prosperity. The council urged the UN Security Council to implement its Resolutions 2735, 2712, and 2720, calling for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the release of hostages, the exchange of prisoners, the return of civilians to their homes, and the wide-scale, safe, and effective distribution of humanitarian aid, alongside the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. Source: Bahrain News Agency