Foreign minister takes part in Arab Council meeting

New York, Sept. 28 (BNA): Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa took part in the Arab Council consultative meeting held on the sidelines of the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. The ministers extended in a statement heartfelt condolences to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud over the victims of the stampede in Mina, praying to Allah to rest their souls in peace, and wishing the injured speedy recovery. The statement lauded the tremendous efforts of Saudi Arabia in serving the pilgrims and providing them with all needed facilities to ensure performance of pilgrimage easily and safely. They strongly condemned and rejected any exploitation of Hajj to achieve certain goals. The meeting reviewed a number of issues including the measures to be taken regarding the Palestinian cause and mechanisms to counter recurring Israeli attacks on the Wholly sites, as well as taking a unified stance towards political issues and discussion of the latest development in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Iraq and others. The meeting also discussed the presence of Arab in the international Forums, particularly the meetings of the United Nations and its organisations to achieve the Arab interests. In respect to the Palestine cause, the Arab League Ministerial Council meeting statement confirmed the adoption of the Arab countries to the option of a just and comprehensive peace based on the implementation the relevant Security Council resolutions, and the Arab peace initiative, as well as condemning Israeli practices in the occupied East Al-Quds in general and the Haram al-Sharif in particular. The statement called on the Palestinian factions to unify in order to form a national unity government and hold general elections, urging the Security Council to assume its responsibilities to stop the Israeli practices and policies aiming to change the situation on the ground and impose a de facto that threatens to undermine the negotiation process. The Ministers’ statement kept all options open in order to call for an Extraordinary UN General Assembly Meeting to discuss the Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque and Haram Al Sharif if it failed to immediately stop these attacks.