Gulf states summit calls for joint Arab action
Gulf, Politics, 12/10/1998

The Gulf Cooperation Council's 19th summit concluded its deliberations on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi with a final statement and "the Abu Dhabi declaration."

The final statement includes issues discussed by the summit during its three-day deliberations. The main areas of concentration were military, security, economic, environmental, media and political issues.

On political issues, the statement centered on Iraq's implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, noted relations with Iran, the Middle East peace process, dismantling weapons of mass destruction. The statement stressed that optimum peace in the Middle East will be only attainable through restoring legitimate rights to its owners and commitment to international legitimacy resolutions, the Madrid conference basics, the land-for-peace formula and UN resolutions 242, 338, 425 and 426 provides for Israel's unconditional withdrawal from south Lebanon.

The final statement expressed the summit's total rejection of the settlement policy practiced by Israel in the occupied Arab lands and condemned the decision of the Israeli government to expand the geographical borders of Jerusalem and change its demographic structure.

The statement reiterated its call on the international community to make the Middle East a region free from all weapons of mass destruction and the need of Israel "joining of the NPT as well as to subject all Israeli nuclear institutions to international inspection of the International Agency for Atomic Energy."

The Abu Dhabi summit also concluded what was called "the Abu Dhabi declaration," which states that national security for the Gulf region states is an integral part of Arab national security and that the GCC states will try in the coming phase to develop joint Arab action and to work for maintaining effective Arab solidarity and creating the proper atmospheres to improve inter-Arab relations in the belief of the joint destiny of the Arab Nation.

Meanwhile, al-Hayat daily reported that the unanimous agreement on the content of the declaration was delayed in the final session for five hours from its set time. The declaration plan proposed by the United Arab Emirates called for "tolerance," for "Arab reconciliation" and to adopt a call for "a regular Arab Summit" were not adopted.

Previous Stories:
  Sheikh Zayed opens Gulf states summit in Abu Dhabi   (12/8/1998)
  UN chief in Abu Dhabi   (12/7/1998)
  Annan to attend Gulf summit in Emirates   (12/4/1998)

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