Jeddah: Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, stated that, in response to the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the leaders of the GCC held their 19th consultative meeting, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the city of Jeddah.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the Secretary General said that the leaders of the GCC states discussed the current regional situation, particularly in relation to the escalation in the region, and the blatant Iranian attacks against the GCC countries and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. They also explored means to establish a diplomatic path that ends the crisis and paves the way for agreements and understandings that address the concerns of the GCC states and enhance long-term security and stability.
The Secretary General added that Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC, valued the invitation extended by the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to hold this summit. This gesture reflects the Kingdom's commitment to strengthen solidarity among the GCC countries and coordinate their positions in handling the challenges currently facing the region.
It was further explained that the leaders of the Council states expressed strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Iranian attacks against the GCC member states and Jordan, which targeted civilian facilities and infrastructure. These acts resulted in loss of life and property, constituting a grave violation of the sovereignty of the Council states, the Charter of the United Nations, international law, and the principles of good neighborliness. The Iranian attacks have also led to a loss of confidence by the GCC states in Iran, necessitating serious efforts from Iran to rebuild trust.
The Secretary General added that the GCC leaders affirmed the right of the Council states to defend themselves, individually or collectively, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the UN, and to take all measures to protect their sovereignty, security, and stability. They also affirmed full solidarity among the Member states, declaring that the security of the GCC countries is indivisible and any attack against any member state is considered a direct attack against all its states, in accordance with the Joint Defence Agreement of the GCC.
Praise was expressed by the GCC leaders for the high level of courage and bravery shown by the armed forces of the Council countries in defending the Council states against the blatant Iranian attacks. The capabilities and readiness demonstrated by these forces enabled them to confront the missile and drone attacks with professionalism and efficiency, preserving the security of the member states and the resources of their peoples.
The Secretary General stated that the leaders of the GCC states commended the ability shown by the Council states to deal with the challenges they faced as a result of this crisis. They highlighted the wisdom displayed in handling the situation and the solidarity among them, which enabled the member states to rehabilitate the energy facilities damaged by the Iranian attacks quickly and efficiently. This contributed to preserving energy supplies while also managing disruptions to supply chains and enhancing cooperation in logistics and aviation.
It was explained that the leaders of the GCC states expressed categorical rejection of Iran's illegal measures to close the Strait of Hormuz, obstruct navigation through it, and threaten its security. They stressed the need to restore the security and freedom of navigation and return conditions in the Strait to what they were before February 28.
The Secretary General concluded his statement by affirming the directive of the leaders of the GCC states to the General Secretariat of the GCC on the need to expedite the completion of requirements necessary to realize all joint GCC projects, including transport and logistics services, while accelerating the implementation of the GCC railway project.
It was also explained that the GCC leaders pointed to the importance of the electricity interconnection project among the Council states, in addition to expediting the start of steps towards establishing a pipeline project for the transport of oil and gas, as well as the water interconnection project among the GCC states, and moving forward with studying the establishment of areas for the GCC strategic reserve.
Furthermore, it was added that the leaders of the GCC countries underlined the importance of intensifying military integration among the member states and accelerating the completion of the early warning system project against ballistic missiles.