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01 June 2016
JEDDAH: Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, secretary-general of the GCC and Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir held a press conference on the sidelines of the GCC summit on Tuesday.
Al-Zayani said the GCC leaders discussed and reviewed issues pertaining to enhanced integration.
"The GCC leaders approved the formation of a high-level commission among the member states, to enhance integration and coordination among the GCC countries in all economic and development fields and accelerate the pace of joint action," Al-Zayani said.
He said the GCC leaders approved regulations for the body and that they agreed to also hold a joint regular meeting involving the GCC defense, interior and foreign ministers to coordinate policies.
"In the past, several different ministries dealt with the economic and financial issues in order to submit them to relevant committees for the leaders. This commission represents a quantum leap regarding the economic and financial issues among the GCC states," Al-Jubeir said.
Al-Jubeir said talks on Yemen were continuing in Kuwait, and that the negotiations are being held on the basis of the GCC initiative, outputs of the national dialogue and Resolution 2216 of the Security Council.
"There are several paths that have been agreed upon with respect to withdrawals, delivery of arms and state institutions in Yemen. There are existing negotiations between the concerned parties," Al-Jubeir added.
He said the Kingdom was working to provide humanitarian aid and medicines to Yemen. "From time to time, there are breaches of the cease-fire, but we have to focus on finding a political solution to the Yemeni crisis leading to more security, stability and prosperity that serve everyone in the region," Al-Jubeir said.
Regarding the Israeli president's remarks about the Arab peace initiative, he said: "The current peace initiative has been emphasized by all Arab summits with the knowledge of the Israelis." He said it was too early to evaluate the seriousness of the Israeli side's commitment to start negotiations based on the Arab peace initiative. "When the Israeli prime minister talked about the initiative, he was talking about some of provisions which are positive in his viewpoint, but he did not accept the Arab initiative as published in the media."
"But what is more important is to resume negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
These efforts were sponsored by the United States and so-called Quartet while the Israelis were rejecting these negotiations. Their stance may change with the Palestinian side in order to reach a solution to this conflict based on the Arab peace initiative, to establish a Palestinian state with its capital in East Al-Quds," Al-Jubeir said.
With regard to Libya, he said there was international consensus that the unity government was legitimate. "There is a need for the House of Representatives to ratify this government. The international community is waiting for this," he added.
"There are differences among the Libyan parties concerning ratification of this government. There are international attempts and efforts to reach convergence between the parties and various leaders in Libya to implement the agreement," he added.
With regard to hosting Libyan groups and holding talks, Al-Jubeir said these ideas were on the table but consultations would have to take place with other Arab nations and the international community to identify the best means to find reconciliation.
JEDDAH: Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, secretary-general of the GCC and Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir held a press conference on the sidelines of the GCC summit on Tuesday.
Al-Zayani said the GCC leaders discussed and reviewed issues pertaining to enhanced integration.
"The GCC leaders approved the formation of a high-level commission among the member states, to enhance integration and coordination among the GCC countries in all economic and development fields and accelerate the pace of joint action," Al-Zayani said.
He said the GCC leaders approved regulations for the body and that they agreed to also hold a joint regular meeting involving the GCC defense, interior and foreign ministers to coordinate policies.
"In the past, several different ministries dealt with the economic and financial issues in order to submit them to relevant committees for the leaders. This commission represents a quantum leap regarding the economic and financial issues among the GCC states," Al-Jubeir said.
Al-Jubeir said talks on Yemen were continuing in Kuwait, and that the negotiations are being held on the basis of the GCC initiative, outputs of the national dialogue and Resolution 2216 of the Security Council.
"There are several paths that have been agreed upon with respect to withdrawals, delivery of arms and state institutions in Yemen. There are existing negotiations between the concerned parties," Al-Jubeir added.
He said the Kingdom was working to provide humanitarian aid and medicines to Yemen. "From time to time, there are breaches of the cease-fire, but we have to focus on finding a political solution to the Yemeni crisis leading to more security, stability and prosperity that serve everyone in the region," Al-Jubeir said.
Regarding the Israeli president's remarks about the Arab peace initiative, he said: "The current peace initiative has been emphasized by all Arab summits with the knowledge of the Israelis." He said it was too early to evaluate the seriousness of the Israeli side's commitment to start negotiations based on the Arab peace initiative. "When the Israeli prime minister talked about the initiative, he was talking about some of provisions which are positive in his viewpoint, but he did not accept the Arab initiative as published in the media."
"But what is more important is to resume negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
These efforts were sponsored by the United States and so-called Quartet while the Israelis were rejecting these negotiations. Their stance may change with the Palestinian side in order to reach a solution to this conflict based on the Arab peace initiative, to establish a Palestinian state with its capital in East Al-Quds," Al-Jubeir said.
With regard to Libya, he said there was international consensus that the unity government was legitimate. "There is a need for the House of Representatives to ratify this government. The international community is waiting for this," he added.
"There are differences among the Libyan parties concerning ratification of this government. There are international attempts and efforts to reach convergence between the parties and various leaders in Libya to implement the agreement," he added.
With regard to hosting Libyan groups and holding talks, Al-Jubeir said these ideas were on the table but consultations would have to take place with other Arab nations and the international community to identify the best means to find reconciliation.
© Arab News 2016
