Strengthening Partnership
Minister of State Khalifa Shahin Al Marar led the United Arab Emirates delegation at the 161st session of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which took place yesterday at the GCC General Secretariat in Riyadh.
During this session, joint ministerial meetings were also held with Russia, India, and Brazil.
The concluding statement from the session covered the latest developments in Gulf joint work.
In addition to regional and global political issues.
It also emphasized strengthening partnerships with other countries and organizations.
Moreover, it highlighted ongoing strategic dialogues and relations between the GCC countries and regional and international partners.
The joint ministerial meetings with Russia, India, and Brazil separately addressed regional and international developments within the framework of existing strategic dialogues.
Strategic Dialogue between the GCC countries and Russia
Regarding regional matters, the seventh ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between the GCC countries and Russia discussed various issues.
Notably, the ongoing conflict in Gaza was a topic of discussion.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed concern that recent U.S. proposals related to the Gaza conflict could perpetuate bloodshed in the region.
He also criticized the U.S. for blocking multiple initiatives presented by different countries at the United Nations Security Council, including those from Russia.
Lavrov mentioned the so-called “Biden three-stage plan” and how Israel consistently adds additional conditions whenever international mediators, including Qatar and Egypt, attempt to propose reasonable middle-ground solutions.
Russia continues to engage with all parties involved in the conflict, including Palestinian groups and Israel.
As well as other regional powers, in an effort to find a resolution.
Lavrov Meets Saudi Crown Prince
On a separate note, during the sidelines of the meeting, Lavrov met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
They discussed bilateral agreements between the two countries and praised the Gulf Cooperation Council’s stance on the crisis in Ukraine.
“Chivalrous knight operation 3” .. Completion of vaccinating more than 460 thousand children to prevent polio, 8 days after the launch of an emergency vaccination campaign in the #Gaza Strip targeting more than 640 thousand children pic.twitter.com/kI2mSKSOFC
— UAE Voice (@uae_voiceeng) September 9, 2024
Lavrov extended an invitation to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to participate in the BRICS summit scheduled for October.
Russia views the expanding activities of BRICS, which has grown from 5 to 10 member states, with increasing interest.
