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GCC-US Leaders Committed to Opposing Iran’s ‘Malign Interference’ | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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The summit of GCC leaders and the US President in Riyadh. SPA


The leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the United States have expressed commitment to oppose Iran’s meddling in the region, prevent the supply of arms to Yemen’s Houthi insurgents and confront terrorism.

The final statement issued following the summit that the GCC leaders held with US President Donald Trump in Riyadh on Sunday, said there was commitment to tackle “the root causes of crises in the Middle East, as well as taking more urgent steps to intensify efforts to defeat ISIS and al-Qaeda,” and “oppose Iran’s malign interference.”

The statement, which was issued on Monday, also said that the summit’s participants “stressed strengthening the ability of GCC countries to address threats wherever they originate, confront Iran’s destabilizing activities and work together to reduce sectarianism and regional tensions that fuel instability.”

“They expressed their condemnation of Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of the countries of the region, in violation of the sovereignty of the GCC States, and its attempt to spread division and stir sectarian strife among their citizens, including in the Kingdom of Bahrain, by supporting violent extremists, training proxies, smuggling weapons and explosives, inciting sectarian strife, and making statements at various levels to undermine security, order and stability.”

They also affirmed their full commitment to Yemen’s unity, respect for its sovereignty and independence, and the rejection of any meddling in its internal affairs.

They stressed the importance of finding a political solution to the country according to the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanism, and implementation of Security Council decisions.

The leaders expressed their great appreciation for the efforts of the United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen to resume consultations between the Yemeni parties with a view to reaching a political solution according to these references.

The statement also said that the leaders were committed to working with the international community to prevent the continued supply of weapons to Iran-backed Houthi insurgents and their allies in Yemen.

They also stressed the need for collective efforts to confront the affiliates of al-Qaeda and ISIS in the Arabian Peninsula.

“It was agreed to strengthen and support economic relations in various fields, including trade and investment, energy and alternative energy, industry, technology, agriculture, transportation and infrastructure development, in line with the development visions adopted by GCC countries,” the final statement said.

On Syria, the leaders affirmed their firm position to preserve the unity, stability and territorial integrity of the war-torn country and expressed their support for the efforts of the UN chief’s envoy to find a political solution based on Geneva 1 Communique and UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

“They stressed the need to lift the siege on besieged Syrian cities, the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected areas and besieged civilians, the cessation of shelling of civilian areas, and release of detainees.”

The GCC and US leaders hoped that the process of liberating the northern Iraqi city of Mosul will lead to the return of the displaced persons to their cities and villages. They also hoped for finding “a comprehensive political reform process that brings together the Iraqi people without exclusion or dispersion to meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people.