Qatari Foreign Minister Chairs GCC Ministerial Council Meeting

Riyadh/ Information Office/ 12 March 2015/ The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States held their 134th session of the GCC Ministerial Council in Meetings Hall at Riyadh Air Base Airport here today, chaired by HE Qatar's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah. At the beginning of the meeting, HE Dr. Al Attiyah gave a speech in which he stressed the position of the Gulf states towards the crisis in the Republic of Yemen. He stated that the position supports the constitutional legitimacy represented by President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and rejects various measures taken to impose a fait accompli by force. HE Dr. Al Attiyah called on Yemeni parties and political forces to give priority to the interest of Yemen and its people. He welcomed the decision by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's hosting of the Yemeni dialogue.(MORE) On the Palestinian issue, HE Qatar's Foreign Minister Dr. Al Attiyah highlighted the utmost importance of the Palestinian cause, calling for ending the occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. On the Syrian crisis, HE Dr. Al Attiyah noted , in his speech that the tragedy of the Syrian people has increased for more than four years, while the Syrian regime is still clinging to power even at the skulls of children, women and the elderly, and the number of victims and displaced persons is still increasing every day as well as the worsening humanitarian situation of the Syrian people inside Syria and abroad. He stressed that the Syrian situation requires rapid and effective intervention by the United Nations and the international community, especially the Security Council, to take sufficient and deterrent measures to protect armless civilians and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people in the besieged places and across the Syrian territory and abroad, and we must also take the initiative to put an end to the tragedy of the Syrian people. With regard to Iraq, Dr. Al-Attiyah said: 'The GCC Arab States confirms its support for Iraq's unity and territorial integrity and for the Iraqi government to help it for maintaining security and stability in Iraq, and non-interference in its internal affairs and extending its sovereignty over all its territory, and that wont' be achieved but only with the cooperation of all spectrums of Iraqi people and concerted efforts to give priority to the interests of Iraq, preserve the coherence of its people and the unity of the national territory. He stressed the firm position of GCC's countries about the latest developments in Libya, with the support of national dialogue between all Libyan parties, on the basis of our vision to be the only way out of the repercussions of the Libyan crisis that will only be possible through a political solution. HE Dr. Al Attiyah stressed the firm position of the Gulf states on ridding the Middle East of nuclear weapons, while recognizing the right of countries in the region to possess nuclear expertise in the field of nuclear energy in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency standards. He reiterated call on the Republic of Iran to respond to international efforts to reach a political settlement of its nuclear program that ensures security and stability of the region. He underlined GCC countries' procedures, mechanisms and measures to combat the spread of the phenomenon of terrorism, expressing firm positions rejecting this dangerous scourge and supporting regional and international effort to combat this phenomenon.