GCC final statement calls for pressuring Israel to abide by peace principles
Gulf, Politics, 3/16/1999

The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council states have asserted the need to resume talks on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks from the point at which they broke off. They called on the Middle East peace process cosponsors and the European Union to revitalize their efforts in order to pressure Israel to abide by its obligations and eliminate the current stalemate in the Middle East peace process.

A statement released at the conclusion of the 70th Session of the GCC foreign ministers held at GCC headquarters in Riyadh on Monday said that the GCC ministerial council commend the efforts made by the Middle East peace process and the European Union to break the deadlock in the peace talks, call these countries to intensively continue its efforts to force Israel to commit itself to its obligations, according to the agreements signed with the Palestinians and to resume talks on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks from the point they broke off in order to achieve peace, security and stability for the region and its people.

The GCC foreign ministers expressed their total rejection to the settlement policy pursued by Israel in the occupied Arab territories and over the decision adopted by the Israeli government to expand the geographical borders of the holy city of Jerusalem as well as to change its demographic structure.

The GCC foreign ministers also expressed their condemnation of the decision taken by the Israeli Knesset on January 26, 1999 on adopting a new law placing obstacles before the restoration of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights to Syria and Jerusalem to the Palestinians.

Also condemned was the recent Israeli act of annexing the Lebanese town of Arnoun to the occupied part of south Lebanon, while the statement hailed the Lebanese people for liberating the occupied town of Arnoun from the Israeli occupation.

The GCC ministerial council called on the Israeli government to give up its expansionist and settlement practices in the occupied Arab territories. It stressed that genuine peace inspired by all peoples and countries of the region and the international community is attainable only through restoring the legitimate Arab rights to their owners, and abidance by international legitimacy resolutions, Madrid conference basics, and the land-for-peace principle according to the UN Security Council resolutions 242, 338 and 425, the restoration of the national rights of the Palestinian people to establishing their own independent state with Jerusalem as a capital and Israel's full withdrawal from all occupied territories including the Golan Heights to June 4, 1967 border line and withdrawal from douth Lebanon and its western Bekaa, unconditionally according to UN resolutions 425 and 426.

The GCC foreign ministers praised the decision adopted by the EU in reassuring its rejection of recognizing Jerusalem, including the western part of the holy city, as a capital for Israel.

On relations between the GCC member states and Iran, the statement said that the GCC ministerial council reviewed relations between the GCC and Iran on the grounds of the results of bilateral contacts between the GCC member states and Iran and the stances of the GCC which are based on the importance of establishing good neighborly relations with Iran on the grounds of mutual respect, exchanged benefits and noninterference in the internal affairs of each side, not to use of force or threats. The statement called for settling arising disputes by means of dialogue and peaceful means already resorted to among world countries.

Previous Stories:
  GCC: Israel escapes Middle East peace requirements, Iraqi problem cannot be solved by force   (3/15/1999)
  GCC foreign ministers meet tomorrow   (3/13/1999)
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