BRUSSELS: On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, HH Sayyid Asaad bin Tarik al Said, the Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs, Personal Representative of His Majesty the Sultan, headed the Sultanate of Oman’s delegation at the first GCC-EU Joint Summit in Brussels.
Upon his arrival at the summit’s venue at the EU building, HH Sayyid Asaad was greeted by Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
HH Sayyid Asaad delivered a speech during the opening of the summit reading as follows: “Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses, Leaders of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and European Union (EU) countries, esteemed guests, May the Almighty’s peace and mercy be upon you.
“At the outset of this summit, I am pleased to convey to you the greetings of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Sultan of Oman, along with his sincere wishes for the success of this summit.
“No doubt, this first meeting at the level of our countries’ summit ushers in an advanced stage, reflecting the shared GCC-EU countries’ vision to expand the scopes of strategic partnership and deepen the existing cooperation in various fields, notably in economic spheres, trade, investment, renewable energy and the common keenness to ease the freedom of travel for our countries' citizens, including business owners, tourists, and students. The summit paves the way for strengthening political and diplomatic cooperation in a manner that contributes to consolidating the pillars of security, stability and peace.
“Cooperation between our countries — in political, economic, cultural and technological areas- constitutes a bridge that will enable us to address common challenges more effectively. We would like to commend the role of the European Union and its openness to cooperation aimed at achieving the positive transition desired by the entire world, and to which the whole world needs to contribute in order to deepen the values of peaceful coexistence and enrich interaction among peoples.
“Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses, Esteemed Guests: We welcome the positions of countries that are consistent with the positions of the GCC countries and the international community, notably towards the realisation of an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the recognition of the State of Palestine. Such an international recognition reflects the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and affirms the Two-State Solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
“In this regard, we would like to state that the Sultanate of Oman supports the international coalition to implement the Two-State Solution announced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on behalf of the Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee and in partnership with the Kingdom of Norway and the European Union.
“The Sultanate of Oman also welcomes the call made by President Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, to stop arms exports to Israel. This call represents an important milestone within the framework of international efforts aimed at realising a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, protecting innocent civilians from the horrors of this conflict and terminating the Israeli aggression on Lebanon that constitutes a serious escalation and threatens to expand the scope of the conflict, violence and instability in the region.
“Therefore, we would like to stress that the international community has a duty to take measures to put an end to these repercussions and apply the rules of international law, notably by imposing an immediate ceasefire and establish justice, security, stability and peace for all. Wishing you all success.”
The summit was co-chaired by Shaikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and Charles Michel, President of the European Council.
Further, the summit explored means of enhancing cooperation in tackling main international challenges and augmenting economic cooperation. It also dealt with cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, energy, sustainability and climate. The two sides also reviewed ways to strengthen ties between peoples, in addition to facilitating visas and addressing multiple geopolitical challenges, notably those related to the Middle East region and the war in Ukraine. — ONA
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