The 114th session of the GCC Ministerial Council held at GCC Secretariat in Riyadh concluded on Tuesday night.
Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, headed the UAE delegation that took part in the meetings held under the chairmanship of Dr Shaikh Mohammed Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait.
The council in its statement regretted the failure of contacts with Iran to produce positive results towards resolving the issue of the islands, thus contributing to strengthening security and stability in the region by peaceful means. It called on Iran to respond to the efforts of the UAE to resolve the issue through direct negotiations or recourse to the International Court of Justice.
The council also condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Mahmoud Mabhouh in Dubai, which constituted a violation of the UAE’s sovereignty and security as well as a violation of the international law. It also decided to support the UAE’s re-nomination for the membership of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) of the third category during the period from 2010 to 2013 and the UAE’s re-nomination for membership of the Governing Council of the International Telecommunication Union and support its candidate for the membership of the Radio Regulations Board (RRB) during the period from 2010 to 2014.
The council condemned the Israeli police and border guards for breaking into the courtyards of Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the excavations by Israeli authorities under the walls of Jerusalem. The meeting called on the international community and the UNESCO to rescue Al Aqsa Mosque.
The council demanded heritage bodies in the Arab and Islamic countries, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO), the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to take all necessary measures and urgent action to protect the holy Islamic sites.
The Council called on international actors to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1860 to lift the siege on the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip and open crossings. It urged the parties concerned to implement recommendations of the Goldstone report regarding Israeli violations of international and humanitarian laws and war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza Strip.
