The meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers of the GCC and their accompanied delegations as well the European Union’s 28 members led by Catherine Ashton.
The EU-GCC meeting was chaired by Bahrain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and the participants discussed important items on the agenda including the preparation.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa reiterated the importance of the joint GCC- EU meeting being held in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Shaikh Khalid expressed his confidence that the GCC – EU Ministerial meeting will strengthen the bilateral ties, and promotes regional security and stability as well. He also noted the realized unmistakable achievements in terms of strengthening trade and economic ties, through the signing of the 2013-2016 EU-GCC Joint Cooperation Programmes which has consolidated the economic and trade relations between the two sides. He added that the programme helped in opening new areas that meet the interest of the major two blocs in the world. He said, “The programme covers a myriad of areas including oil, energy, education, tourism, health, environment, and disaster management etc.
Shaikh Khalid urged the parties to strive harder to finalize signing the free trade agreement between the GCC and EU as soon as possible.
Earlier during a pre-EU GCC Council meeting the GCC foreign ministers also reviewed the most important developments taking place in the region such as the Syrian crisis and the participation of the Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist forces in the opposition and the fight the Syrian people. The Ministerial Council also listened to a report by the GC Secretary General on his recent visit to the Republic of Yemen to follow up the implementation of the second phase of the national consensus dialogue stemming from the Gulf initiative.
At the conclusion of the meeting the foreign ministers issued a statement expressing their sincere congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, on the accession assumption of the reins of power of the State of Qatar, noting at the same time His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, for the great achievements that Qatar and its people witnessed at all levels, both internally and externally during his auspicious rein.
The Council also welcomed resolution 2107 (2013) by the Security Council to remove Iraq from its obligations under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter concerning the return of Kuwaiti and third-State nationals or their remains and their property seized by Iraq’s former regime during its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
They stated that this is the result of the positive development of relations between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Iraq.
The Council also reviewed topics on the agenda for the 23rd session of the Joint Ministerial Council Meeting between the GCC and the EU.
Foreign ministers discussed the latest events in the Syrian crisis, and expressed grave concern of the continued deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation and the continuous bloodshed, displacement and destruction across Syria. The Council condemned the continuing interference Hezbollah militia under the banner of the Revolutionary Guards and other forces fighting against the brotherly Syrian people, and called for an end to this intervention, which will be hampering efforts to hold the Geneva 2 Conference.
The council congratulated the new Iranian president-elect, Dr. Hassan Rouhani, stressing the importance of maintain peaceful relations between the GCC and the Islamic Republic of Iran to promote security, stability and prosperity of the region, wishing the new president every success and further progress and prosperity for the Iranian people.