GCC foreign ministers stress support for Saudi Arabia in the face of aggression, back Yemen’s unity, stability

Omani Minister Bin Alawi says his country strongly supports Saudi Arabia in its showdown with Houthis

Documents on Lebanon’s Hariri government lineup issued

Palestinian National Authority urges responsible review of Washington’s failure to press Israel

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states expressed their strong support for Saudi Arabia in its battle against Houthi insurgents on its border with Yemen.

This was disclosed during the second meeting of the GCC Foreign Ministers in Doha Wednesday. The Foreign Ministers met to discuss the adoption of Qatar’s vision to strengthen the role of Gulf Cooperation Council.

The meeting, held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, was attended by the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, GCC Secretary General HE Abdurrahman bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Omani Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Youssef bin Alawi Abdullah, Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Qarqash.

Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister underlined the support of GCC countries for Saudi Arabia, which is facing armed infiltration into its territory, in a clear violation of international border agreements.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem condemned the rebel attacks and asserted Saudi right to defend its territories and safety of its people.

The Prime Minister also underlined that any prejudice against Saudi Arabia is a prejudice to the security and safety of all the GCC countries.

The meeting was called on the directives of the GCC Leaders issued at their 11th Summit for reviewing Qatar proposal to accelerate the pace of cooperation among GCC member states.

“The ideas and contents of Qatar’s vision stem from the awareness about the importance of the GCC and integration between the peoples of our countries. Qatar’s vision calls for adoption of an approach that helps in realizing the ambitions and aspirations of our peoples,” said Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem.

Addressing a joint press conference held at the Doha Ritz Carlton after a ministerial meeting to discuss the Qatar’s vision for activating the integration process among the GCC states, GCC Secretary General, HE Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Attiyah, said that the meeting has approved HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani’s vision to activate the GCC integration process.

“The Emir’s vision will be submitted to the upcoming GCC summit due to be held in Kuwait during the second half of the next month,” al-Attiyah added.

To a question about the possibility that the UAE might return to the GCC monetary union, he said: “Any positive act within the monetary union and the joint co-operation of Gulf states will be welcomed.”

The Omani Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs, Yousuf bin Alawi Abdullah, condemned, what he called violation of the Saudi borders by the Houthi rebels.

“It is the duty of the GCC states as well as all the Arab and Muslim countries to support Saudi in this confrontation with rebels,” he added.

Earlier, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor al-Thani, underlined the GCC countries’ support for Saudi Arabia in the face of the attacks carried out by intruders on its territory in violation of borders.

The prime minister condemned the attacks and underlined Saudi Arabia’s right to defend the safety if its lands and the security of its people.

“Any violation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s security is violation of the security and safety of all the GCC countries,” Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem said in a speech.

On the other hand, Lebanon's unity government has held its first meeting, one day after the formation of a government ended the country's five-month power vacuum.

The newly announced Cabinet ministers met with Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman at the presidential palace Tuesday.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced the new 30-member Cabinet Monday. It includes five ministers appointed by Suleiman, 15 ministers from Hariri's coalition and 10 from the opposition.

Hezbollah, backed by Iran and Syria, was given key positions in the new government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The international community has welcomed the formation of the unity government. Statements of congratulations came in from the European Union, the United States, the United Nations, Syria, Iran and elsewhere.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, called on all parties involved to ensure Lebanon's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs Tuesday said the United States looks forward to working with the new government.

Iran's official news agency, IRNA, Tuesday quoted an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ramin Mehmanparast, as saying Tehran believes that a powerful Lebanese government that cooperates with regional countries could help Lebanon's development.

And Syria's official news agency, SANA, reported Tuesday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sent a congratulatory note to Lebanese President Suleiman.

The report says Assad "expressed hope that this stage would be good" for Lebanon and its people.

Late Monday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the formation of the unity government and urged it to comply with a Security Council resolution to disarm Hezbollah's militia and end arms smuggling.

Hariri has been trying to form a government since the June general election, when his coalition defeated politicians allied with Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has issued a fresh call for reconciliation with Hamas on a day which marks the fifth death anniversary of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

At a rally in Ramallah, Abbas called for Palestinian unity at a time when ties with Israel have soured dramatically since the election of Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel’s Prime Minister.

Abbas used strong language to stress that Israel was obstructing peace efforts by not accepting a settlement freeze in occupied West Bank including east Jerusalem. “We see Israel confiscating land, building settlements and Judaizing Jerusalem with unprecedented speed ... and then they ask that we return to negotiations,” Abbas told the huge crowd.

“The return to negotiations depends on Israel adhering to the terms of reference of peace and that means halting all settlements, including natural growth and Jerusalem,” he said.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, was also blunt in slamming Israel for its alleged role in retarding the peace process.

“The moment of truth has come and we have to be frank with the Palestinian people that we have not been able to reach a two-state solution through 18 years of negotiation.”

“We have become convinced that Israel doesn’t want a Palestinian state on lands it occupied in 1967,” he added.

Yasser Arafat led Palestinians for nearly four decades and succeeded in placing Palestinian independence as one of the top items on the global political agenda, before he died in mysterious circumstances at a Paris hospital.