Baghdad: Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, chaired today in Baghdad the opening session of the preparatory meeting for the 34th Ordinary Session of the Arab Summit, hosted by the Republic of Iraq on May 17.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the Minister expressed appreciation for the generous hospitality and the preparations made to host the Baghdad Summit. He also thanked His Excellency Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the Arab League, and his team at the General Secretariat for their cooperation and support provided to the Kingdom of Bahrain during its presidency of the 33rd session of the Arab Summit, as well as their efforts in preparing for the current session.
Dr. Al Zayani highlighted that the Kingdom of Bahrain was honored to host the 33rd Arab Summit, chaired by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, held amidst challenging political and security conditions requiring a unified Arab stance and vision to safeguard Arab national security and protect common interests.
He noted that the Bahrain Summit carried a message of peace and Arab solidarity. It called for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the release of hostages and detainees, an end to humanitarian suffering, and the establishment of lasting peace in the Middle East. The summit underscored the centrality of the Palestinian cause, rejected the displacement of Palestinians, and emphasized the need to safeguard their legitimate rights as guaranteed by international law and relevant resolutions.
The Minister further noted that the Bahrain Summit adopted resolutions aimed at strengthening Arab cooperation, integration, and solidarity. These included initiatives to convene an international conference to resolve the Palestinian cause, support the recognition of the independent State of Palestine and its admission to the United Nations, and uphold humanitarian rights of those affected by regional conflicts.
He stressed that Bahrain remained committed to following up on the coordination and implementation of these resolutions, with the goal of enhancing Arab cooperation across domains, bolstering joint coordination to confront challenges, and laying the foundations for lasting peace, growth, and prosperity.
Dr. Al Zayani emphasized Bahrain's engagement with globally influential countries to convey the Arab position and mobilize international support. He noted Bahrain's role in chairing the Arab Ministerial Committee in support of Palestine and participating in efforts of the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee.
Bahrain also announced its accession to the international coalition for the two-state solution led by Saudi Arabia and participated in co-chairing the Palestine Summit hosted by Egypt, adopting the Egyptian plan for recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Dr. Al Zayani underscored Bahrain's commitment to implementing summit initiatives, noting royal directives to form a national committee to oversee implementation in coordination with the General Secretariat of the Arab League and relevant international organizations.
Dr. Al Zayani reported that a comprehensive document detailing Bahrain's efforts to implement these initiatives has been prepared and presented to the Ministerial Council for endorsement. Following his remarks, Dr. Al Zayani handed over the presidency of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level to Dr. Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, expressing hope for constructive resolutions to advance joint Arab action.