The final statement of the consultative meeting held in Jeddah, on Friday night, stressed the need to preserve Syria’s sovereignty by ending the presence of militias, stressing that the political solution is the only one to the Syrian crisis.
The final statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the consultative meeting of the foreign ministers of the GCC countries, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq demanded an Arab leadership role in resolving the Syrian crisis.
“Returning Syria to its Arab surroundings”
He also called for the unity of Syria and its return to its Arab surroundings, stressing the importance of combating the phenomena of terrorism and drug trafficking.
The text of the statement, published by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), is as follows:
“Within the framework of the keenness and interest the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia attaches to everything that would serve the issues of our Arab nation and promote the interests of its countries and peoples, and at the invitation of Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and within the framework of consultation and endeavor to coordinate positions and unify efforts towards a number of Issues of common interest. An informal consultation session was held in Jeddah on the 23rd of Ramadan 1444 AH, at the Suhoor table, hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and in which the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the Republic of Iraq participated.
📹 | Part of the ministerial consultative meeting of the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Republic of Iraq in Jeddah pic.twitter.com/keaoPOhiUI
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇸🇦 (@KSAMOFA) April 14, 2023
centrality of the Palestinian cause
The statement added that “during the session, views were exchanged on a number of issues and developments in the region, and the ministers emphasized the centrality and priority of the Palestinian cause, and condemned illegal Israeli practices that undermine the two-state solution and the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution that embodies the Palestinian state.” The independent and sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the borders of the 4th of June 1967 AD, and in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.They also condemned the Israeli attacks on the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif, and the violation of the sanctity of the holy places, and stressed the need to respect the historical and legal status quo in them. And that the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Qudsi Al-Sharif is a pure place of worship for Muslims, and that the Jordanian Department of the Endowments of Jerusalem and the Affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque is the authority that has the exclusive competence to manage the affairs of the mosque and regulate entry to it within the framework of the historical Hashemite guardianship over the Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem.
A political solution to the Syrian crisis
They also consulted and exchanged views on the efforts exerted to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that would end all its repercussions and preserve Syria’s unity, security, stability, and Arab identity, and return it to its Arab surroundings in a way that achieves the good of its people. According to the statement of the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
In addition, “the ministers agreed on the importance of resolving the humanitarian crisis, providing the appropriate environment for aid to reach all regions in Syria, creating the necessary conditions for the return of Syrian refugees and displaced persons to their areas, ending their suffering, enabling them to return safely to their homeland, and taking more measures that would contribute In stabilizing the situation throughout the Syrian territories.
The ministers stressed the importance of combating terrorism in all its forms and organizations, combating drug smuggling and trafficking, and the importance of state institutions preserving Syria’s sovereignty over its lands to end the presence of armed militias there, and external interference in Syrian internal affairs.
The only solution to the crisis
The ministers also stressed that the political solution is the only solution to the Syrian crisis, and the importance of having an Arab leadership role in efforts to end the crisis, setting up the necessary mechanisms for this role, and intensifying consultations among Arab countries to ensure the success of these efforts.
For their part, the ministers expressed their thanks to Saudi Arabia for its initiative in calling for this consultative meeting in order to discuss the efforts made to resolve the Syrian crisis, and their aspiration for the continuation of consultations among them to follow up on these efforts.
