Speaker of the Shura Council Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Sheikh called on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to intensify efforts to continue the remaining steps to realize the vision that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had proposed to enhance integration among the GCC member states, which was approved by the Supreme Council in the 36th session, mainly after the remarkable progress in implementing its contents over the past years. During his speech that he delivered in the virtual opening of the 15th session of GCC Speakers of Shura Councils, Council of Representatives, Federal National Council, and National Assembly – hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Speaker of the Shura Council stressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's deep positions towards reaching peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world and enhancing the concepts of peace, coexistence and sustainable development. Heading the meeting, the Speaker said: "Our meeting today here in Riyadh follows directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, to go on with the process of joint cooperation among GCC countries." He also referred to the distinguished approach applied by the GCC countries in addressing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic until they managed to minimize its negative impacts that affected the entire world. Sheikh Dr. Al Al-Sheikh pointed out that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia managed to overcome this pandemic, saying: "By the grace of Allah, and thanks to the efforts of my homeland in fighting this pandemic, the epidemiological status in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has become stable, where the latest statistics and relevant indicators on the health conditions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia show a drop in infections and critical cases with an increasing turnout to receive vaccines with continuing in implementing procedures to preserve public health." As for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's stances on political issues in the region and the world, the Speaker said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stresses the need to find viable solutions to environment and climate issues. He added that in realization of the initiative that His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, has announced to preserve land and nature, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host the Saudi Green Initiative Forum and Middle East Green Initiative Summit next October, based on its leading role in facing climate crises, supporting international community efforts in addressing basic challenges of the environment and determination to effect a permanent global impact. He also stressed the centrality of the Palestinian Cause and its importance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's leadership, saying: "The Palestinian Cause remains a central issue for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and tops our interests, based on the unaltered positions that aim to realize just and comprehensive peace according to international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital." Sheikh Dr. Al Al-Sheikh also referred to the suffering of the Yemeni people as well as the Saudi efforts to end the conflict, saying: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's stance is still unaltered in supporting the brotherly Yemeni people and its legitimate government, where efforts continue at the regional and international levels to reach a comprehensive solution for the crisis in Yemen according to the three references, referring to the dangerous repercussions of the terrorist Houthi militia's continuous adoption of military options to control more swathes of Yemeni territories and refusal of peaceful solutions and peace initiatives." The Speaker said the peace initiative that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia offered in last March was sufficient to end the conflict, stop the bloodshed and put an end to the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people, praising, at the same time, the stances of GCC legislative councils in their condemnation of all terrorist acts perpetrated by the Houthi militia. He also stressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's position in making the Middle East a zone free of weapons of mass destruction, saying: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reiterates its position in making the Middle East a zone free of weapons of mass destruction and supports cooperation to ban them, their spread and condemn all its uses." Sheikh Dr. Al Al-Sheikh also said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia highlights the unaltered and sovereign right of the United Arab Emirates to its three islands of Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa. After that, speakers of the legislative councils of GCC countries agreed to adopt the subject of "Joint policies for GCC countries to implement the Middle East Green Initiative to face the repercussions of climate change" to become the joint GCC subject for the periodic meeting of GCC legislative councils, upon a proposal presented by the Shura Council and adopted by speakers of GCC legislative councils.
