Kouchner, interviewed on sidelines of an unofficial meeting held by the foreign ministers of the European Union near the Slovenian capital, that concluded late last week, said contribution of the GCC states in the peace process is not only a crucial issue but also very necessary for reaching the aspired stability in the region.
The economic and political weight of the Gulf countries "qualify them to play the role for establishing peace in the region," Kouchner said in the interview with the Kuwaiti news agency.
Regarding the latest Arab summit, Kouchner expressed hope that Syria would understand the message implied in absence of top leaders of heavy-weight Arab states, namely Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, and called on the Damascus leadership to take "this warning seriously and alter its policies toward its neighbors if it wishes to bolster regional stability." He expressed no objection to opening channels of dialogue with fundamentalist Islamic organizations, namely Hamas and Hezbollah, for resolving some regional problems and emphasized necessity of dialogue among the warring parties in the region. "Dialogue remains the constructive and useful means for resolving problems even with the adversaries," Kouchner added.
On the Middle East peace process, Kouchner affirmed that France does not directly intervene in it, and instead encourages the involved parties for ensuring its success.
He also confirmed that both the Arab and French initiatives for Lebanon have not realised their objectives yet.
Kouchner praised the distinctive ties between France and Kuwait and affirmed importance of the Arab economic summit due to be hosted by the Gulf country early next year.
