HH the Qatar’s Heir Apparent Participates in GCC Closing Session

Manama, December 25 (QNA) - HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani joined his brothers the leaders of GCC states at the closing session of the 33rd GCC Supreme Council Summit held at the conventions hall in the Bahraini city of Sakhir. The session was attended by their excellences members of the official delegation accompanying HH the Heir Apparent. The leaders of GCC Supreme Council praised the visit which HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani paid to Gaza Strip in October 2012, hailing his role in the lift of the siege clamped on Gaza, the provision of humanitarian assistance and the opening of a number of economic and development projects. The Council expressed the hope that this step would be the first in the context of the efforts exerted to achieve the unity of the Palestinian people and to realize their legitimate objectives. This came in a statement issued at the end of the thirty-third session of the Supreme Council of GCC leaders read out by Dr. GCC Secretary General Abdul Latif Al-Zayani at the closing session today. According to the statement, the Supreme Council congratulated King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain on his assumption of the presidency of the current session of the Supreme Council, praising the content of his speech at the opening session, and his keenness on activating the drive of cooperation among GCC states in all fields. The Supreme Council also expressed deep appreciation and gratitude for the big, genuine and sincere efforts made by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia and his government during his tenure as President of the thirty-second session of the Supreme Council and the significant achievements that have been accomplished. The Council expressed thanks to Almighty Allah for the success of the operation which the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques underwent, praying Allah to bestow good health and wellness on him in order to complement his leading role in the service of Saudi Arabia and its people and support of the Council's blessed drive. The statement lauded as well the speech delivered by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, in which he confirmed his commitment to the march of the member states and the transition from cooperation to the Union phase in a strong cohesive entity that meets the aspirations of GCC citizens. In a continuation of its efforts in the service of Arab, Islamic and international causes, the Council welcomed the opening of The King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue , which was inaugurated in Vienna, in order to promote the values of dialogue and the fight against extremism. The Council meanwhile hailed the wise visions contained in the speech delivered by the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, expressing appreciation for Kuwait's response to request of the United Nations Secretary-General for the convening of the first international conference of donor countries in Kuwait, in partnership with the UN on 30 January 2013, in order to help the Syrian people and to alleviate their humanitarian suffering, wishing the conference every success. The final communique said the GCC Supreme Council reviewed during it 33rd session, the recommendations and follow-up reports filed by the Ministerial Council and discussed developments of regional and international political issues, in the light of the accelerated events in the region and the world and took the necessary decisions thereon. With regard to the Joint Action March, the Supreme Council commended the measures that have been taken to implement its decisions on joint action regarding the areas set out in Article III of the GCC Economic Agreement, and stressed the need to strengthen the spirit of citizenship in the GCC States. On the economic conditions in the GCC States, the Supreme Council expressed satisfaction with the significant growth in their economies and comprehensive development that has been achieved in various sectors. In a related context, the Supreme Council gave directives to the concerned committees for expediting the implementation of the provisions of the Economic Agreement on unification of fiscal and monetary policies, integration of infrastructure and enhancement of productive capacities, to ensure availability of job opportunities for citizens. It also tasked the Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee to set practical and time-framed programmes for the transition to the new horizons of economic integration among the GCC countries, in order to achieve the aspired goal. The Council called for conducting a comprehensive study on the implemented programmes in various youth activities and family and childhood issues in GCC States, and to organize a relevant comprehensive seminar. The Council meanwhile endorsed the resolutions of the Joint Defense Council and approved the establishment of a unified military command to handle coordination , planning and leadership for the ground, naval and air forces. It decided to approve the provision of medical treatment for the armed forces personnel, on official missions or participating in training courses in the Member States, and their families in military hospitals. Emphasizing the importance of intensifying cooperation concerning the exchange of information between security bodies in member States, the GCC Supreme Council approved the amended Security Agreement, signed by the GCC Interior Ministers on 13-November-2012. On their position towards terrorism, the leaders of GCC Supreme Council reconfirmed the member states firm positions renouncing terrorism and extremism in all their forms and manifestations and regardless of their motives, justifications and sources. In this regard the Council condemned terrorist attacks that took place lately in Manama in which a number of innocent people fell victim, praising the constructive role the Bahraini government played in dealing with the events. The Council expressed support for the efforts of Bahrain in maintaining national unity and establishing peace and stability. The Council welcomed the establishment of the International Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism in Abu Dhabi as a center bringing together exerts and experiences of all states to fight violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations. The Council said that the GCC will look into forming an Authority for food and medicine in the GCC and will also study the establishment of a joint GCC centre for public and preventive health. They also called for the implementation of the matters agreed upon during joint ministerial meetings with states and economic blocs to achieve the joint interests of GCC member states and their partners. On the political level, the GCC Supreme Council reiterated its firm position rejecting Iran s continued occupation of the UAE islands Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa, emphasizing support for the UAE s sovereignty over the islands, territorial waters, air territory, continental shelve and the economic zone of the three islands as an integral part of the UAE. It regretted that contacts with Iran over this issue had not come out with positive results for reaching a solution to the three islands issue that would contribute to the strengthening regional security and stability, considering any practices or acts by Iran on the three islands as null and void and will not change any of the historical and legal facts that agree on the UAE sovereignty over its islands. The communique approved that all possible peaceful solutions that would let the UAE restore these Islands should be considered, calling on Iran to respond to the UAE efforts aimed to find a solution to the issue through direct negotiations or the resort to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). On relations with Iran, the Council rejected and condemned Iran s continuous intervention in GCC internal affairs, demanding it to immediately and finally halt such practices and all policies and measures that would raise tensions and threaten security and stability in the region. It also stressed the importance of Iran's full commitment to the principles of good neighborliness, mutual respect, non- interference in others' internal affairs, settlement of disputes through peaceful means and non-use or threat of force. Regarding Iran s nuclear programme, the Council followed the programme which not only threaten the security and stability of the region, but also the international peace and security, stressing the importance of Iran's commitment to full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The council reiterated its firm stance regarding Iran's commitment to making the Middle East, including the Gulf region, a zone free from Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and nuclear weapons, praising in the meantime the International efforts aimed to resolve Iran s nuclear issue through peaceful means. In the same context, the Council confirmed the right of states, including Iran, to the peaceful use of the nuclear energy, noting in this respect that the responsibility of safety lies on the country that operates any nuclear facility which should also take into account the preservation of environment in the broad economic zone in the region as well as the need for full commitment to security, safety and non-proliferation standards. As Iran started operating Bushehr reactor, the GCC states calls on it maintain full transparency towards this issue and immediately join the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) and to apply the highest safety standards on its facilities, the Communique said. On the Syrian issue, the GCC supreme council called on the international community to act "seriously and swiftly" to end the massacres and human right violations in Syria. It expressed deep regret over the sufferings of the Syrian people, pointing out that such developments render a political transfer of power an "urging demand." The Council emphasized the need of providing support to the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces, which were formed last November in Doha under the auspices of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the Arab League. It hoped the forming of the coalition would be a positive step towards uniting the international community stances on Syria, and ending the deteriorating situation there. The Council urged the international community to offer all possible aid and immediate humanitarian assistance to help Syrian people face the crisis they live, stressing its support for the UN-Arab League Envoy for Syria Lakhdar Ibrahimi. On the Palestinian cause the GCC Supreme Council stressed that a just, inclusive and permanent peace in the Middle East cannot be attained without a full Israeli withdrawal from Arab occupied lands in Palestine and the Golan Heights and return back to the 1967 borders, being the principles included in the Arab Peace Initiative and reflected in the relevant international legitimacy's decisions. The Council congratulated Palestine for being granted a non-member observer status by the UN General Assembly, terming the resolution as a serious step towards establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Reiterating the call for inter-Palestinian unity and end of division, the Council condemned, in its final communique, Israel's settlement policy that aim to change demographics of Palestinian land and considered them to be jeopardizing chances of a peaceful solution. Holding Israel responsible for the legal accountability of the aggression on Gaza, the communique welcomed the Egyptian-brokered cease fire agreement and called on the international community to work on securing swift delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, lauding in this context the efforts and Humanitarian assistance provided by the member states to the Palestinian people. The communique also commended visit of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to Gaza Strip in October 2012, valuing his role in breaking the siege, offering aid and opening a number of economic and developmental projects to benefit Gazans. On the Yemeni affair the final communique explained that King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa of Bahrain briefed the GCC leaders on the contents of the letter he received from Yemen's President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi on the progress of the implementation of Gulf initiative and the measures being taken in order to achieve more security and stability in the country. Stressing its support for all that realizes the hopes and aspirations of the Yemeni people, the Supreme Council expressed satisfaction with what has been achieved in the first phase of implementing the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism, by the efforts of Yemeni President, the Government of national reconciliation and the support the Yemeni people and political powers. As the Council expressed the hope for the success of the second phase of implementing the Gulf initiative by holding the comprehensive national dialogue conference, the GCC leaders commended the Yemeni President's decision of restructuring the Armed Forces. With regard to Iraq, the Council reiterated its firm position towards respect for Iraqi sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and non-interference in its internal affairs, urged other countries to adopt the same approach and called on the Iraqi government to build trust with neighboring countries on basis of good neighborliness principles. The Council also stressed the importance of all parties in Iraq to achieve a comprehensive and permanent political reconciliation that meets the aspirations of the Iraqi people, for security, stability and to preserving its Arab and Islamic identity. The Supreme Council meanwhile stressed the need for Iraq to complete the implementation of all relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including finalizing the issue of maintenance of border markers between Kuwait and Iraq pursuant to resolution 833, the finalizing of the issue of compensating Iraqi farmers as per resolution 899, finalizing the issue of prisoners and missing citizens of Kuwait and other countries and returning the properties and the National Archives of the State of Kuwait, urging the United Nations and other relevant bodies to continue their valuable efforts to end these commitments. GCC leaders condemned the violence against Muslims in Myanmar, and the aggression against human rights. In the final communique, the 33rd GCC summit assured its support of Muslims of Myanmar and continuous aid. Appointing the Ministerial Council to consult with regional countries on this matter, calling upon the international community, especially the security council to take responsibility towards this humanitarian crisis and provide necessary aid. In conclusion the GCC leaders welcomed the kind invitation of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait, for holding the 34th GCC Supreme Council Summit in Kuwait, in 2013. At the end of the closing session of the 33rd GCC Supreme Council Summit held in Bahrain between 5-6 December, the GCC Secretary-General Abdul Latif Al-Zayani read out the Sakhir Declaration in which their Majesties and Highnesses stress: 1. Their commitment to implementing all the decisions of the Supreme Council on GCC integration in all areas, in particular compliance with the timetable for the establishment of the Gulf common market and working to remove impediments to the application of the Customs Union; 2. The importance of strengthening the powers and role of the Secretariat of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and its Secretary-General to follow up the implementation of decisions of the Supreme Council; 3. The need to promote the spirit of citizenship among the nationals of the Gulf Cooperation Council, in various fields, through: (a) Ongoing familiarization with the Council s activities and its relationship to the lives of individuals and peoples of the GCC countries, their well-being and stability as a result of the conscious use of resources and focus on sustainable development and sustainable comprehensive security; (b) Achieving full Gulf citizenship, to strengthen the social and family fabric and ties of kinship and cohesion, facilitating economic activity for GCC citizens, to broaden cooperation, exchange, economic and social integration; (c) Intensifying communication between the Shura and National Councils in the Member States; (d) Implementing decisions on facilitating and promoting the transfer of national manpower among Member States; (e) Supporting national training centres, institutes and universities and to make them open to GCC nationals under the same conditions applicable to citizens of the concerned country. 4. The principle of joint collective security through the development of military capabilities and self-development of each of the GCC States, and the commitment to promote the development of the Common Defense System to defend the achievements of the States and peoples of the GCC, as a symbol of solidarity, destiny and purpose and the embodiment of common defence. 5. The GCC s achievements and great strides in the area of human rights, reflecting its response to global developments and the aspirations of their people, to maintain stability and security, and to reflect their culture and national heritage in accordance with the noble and authentic Arabian values, and all international charters and covenants and their proper global representation. Finally, request the Secretariat to follow-up and implement what has been agreed and submit a detailed report on this matter to the next meeting of the Supreme Council. The leaders of the GCC States in the final communique expressed looking forward to achieving what has been set out in this Declaration, in a manner that will live up to the aspirations of the GCC citizens and meet their hopes for a more prosperous and brighter future. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa addressed the closing session stressing that the success of Sakhir Summit expresses the willingness to strengthen the joint Gulf action in order to achieve the aspirations of the GCC nationals. He also extended appreciation for the Supreme Council's advisory board and lauded the great role done by the GCC Foreign Ministers and the Secretary-General for the success of the 33rd session. (QNA)