Attendees gather for a historic group photo at the inaugural summit between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union (EU), marking a significant step towards enhanced cooperation and partnership.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 17 : The Representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, addressed the first GCC-EU Summit held in Brussels on Wednesday, affirming that it constitutes a historic opportunity to elevate higher the level of the relations between the GCC and EU countries. The summit, he said, mirrors the mutual sincere and serious desire to boost and expand the cooperation between the two sides and seek, together, a comprehensive joint strategy, based on the vision of Their Highnesses leaders of the GCC states. His Highness the Prime Minister also indicated that this approach, based on mutual understanding, cooperation and respect, aims at strengthening security and stability at the regional and international levels.

The Representative of His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Prime Minister expressed hope that there would be progress in the negotiations of the aspired free trade treaty between the GCC and the EU for the sake of reaching a framework agreement for cooperation and “acting to find an alternative formula for sake of investing the abundant potentials of our states and set guidance toward the joint destiny and effective partnership in various sectors.” He re-affirmed the adherence to joint action to face the challenges and bolster the strategic partnership among the GCC and EU states, expressing hope that the State of Kuwait, as chair of the GCC in the end of 2024, to see full coordination “with our European partners regarding all issues of joint concern.”

The Representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, conveyed greetings of His Highness the Amir to summiteers. “We meet today with hopes that our meeting will contribute to building mutual understanding for setting up our relations in a better form,” he began the speech, noting that this relationship is necessary to attain mutual interests in the face of rapid global changes with respect of the climatic change, economic jitters, developments in the energy sectors, cyber wars, geopolitical tension and regional conflicts. Touching on the relations with Iraq, His Highness the Amir Representative affirmed that the State of Kuwait had aided the neighboring country to restore its regional status and attain its people’s aspirations. He called on Baghdad to take tangible measures to tackle pending files namely the demarcation of the marine borders beyond point 162, in line with international laws and charters, resolve the file of the prisoners and missing and the Kuwaiti properties including the national archive “within the follow-up by the United Nations particularly the Security Council.”

His Highness the Prime Minister urged Iraq to adhere to bilateral agreements related to security, and technical aspects of the waterway at Khor Abdullah; as the “agreements could enhance the concept of conserving the environment and organizing navigation, combating terrorism, illegal trade in arms and narcotics and human beings,” affirming the necessity to pursue dialogue based on mutual respect and understanding. Turning to the dangerous escalation in the Middle East, he called for an immediate cessation of the air strikes carried out by the Israeli occupation and to spare the region and the world more hazards and jitters.

He renewed the State of Kuwait’s principled stand in support of the Palestinian people and their just cause aimed at establishing the independent state to the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He applauded the European States’ decision earlier this year, recognizing the State of Palestine, and urged other European countries to follow suit. His Highness the Amir Representative acclaimed Riyadh’s establishment of the international coalition to execute the two-state settlement and stressed on the necessity of securing navigation via all vital waterways to preserve security in the Red region and the interests of the whole world.

The State of Kuwait, he has stated, affirms its unwavering advocacy of the necessity to resolve strifes through peaceful means, adhere to the principles of international law, protecting the global order from disarray, while rejecting double standards. He called for collective action to back humanitarian and relief efforts in regions witnessing armed conflicts or stricken with catastrophes, renewed the adherence to joint action in the face of challenges, and bolstered the partnership between the GCC and the EU. The EU-GCC Summit appealed on Wednesday to Iraq to solve the pending issues with Kuwait regarding maritime border and others. On maritime borders between Kuwait and Iraq, the final communique of the summit said that solving the pending issues between the two sides in line with international law contributes positively to regional cooperation and stability. The communique said it sheds light on the importance of Iraq’s abidance by Kuwait’s sovereign and territorial integrity as well as the respect of bilateral deals and international treaties, and the relevant UN resolutions mainly the 833. (KUNA)