Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and European Union (EU) countries held here on Monday the 25th session of the GCC-EU Joint Ministerial Council. The session was co-chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, the Chairman of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Vice-President of the EU Commission Federica Mogherini. It was held in the presence of GCC Secretary General Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. The GCC-EU foreign ministers confirmed the importance of further strengthening of their relations, in view of regional challenges, to serve as a robust and effective basis for the regional and international stability and security. The two sides welcomed the strengthening of their political dialogue, especially through holding regular meetings of senior GCC-EU officials, such as the latest meeting which was held in Brussels on April 142,016. The ministers exchanged views and identified common concerns and priorities with regard to the situations in the region, particularly in Yemen, Iran, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and the Middle East peace process, and stressed the strategic importance of close coordination between the GCC and the EU on these developments. They welcomed the resumption of consultations among the Yemeni parties in Kuwait on July 16, 2016, and reaffirmed their support for efforts by the UN Special Envoy to Yemen to facilitate a comprehensive and continuous settlement among the Yemeni parties to restore peace and the resumption of the transitional process in Yemen, in line with the GCC initiative, the output of the national dialogue and the UN Security Council resolution 2216 and other relevant resolutions. They also expressed their determination to continue the existing efforts to combat terrorism and its financing, and to defeat Daash and the other terrorist organizations. The ministers agreed on the need to reach a solution to the Syrian crisis, according to the principles of the Geneva statement-1, Security Council resolution 2254 and other relevant resolutions, and to allow the humanitarian aid to reach all besieged areas, stressing the importance of respecting the cessation of hostilities without violations and providing a suitable environment for the success of the negotiations. The Ministers expressed their support for the efforts of reconciliation and the restoration of stability in Iraq and Libya, and the political stability in Lebanon. --More
