Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) foreign ministers have met on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly to coordinate their countries’ positions on key regional and international issues.
World leaders are gathering in New York this week for the UN General Assembly’s annual high-level session. Diplomats expect Gaza to dominate the agenda, while momentous changes in Syria and Israel's strikes against Iran, Qatar and other countries will also loom large.
Saudi Arabia and France will co-chair a meeting on the Israel-Palestine two-state solution, which envisages both countries existing alongside one another in peace. The conference is expected to involve the formal recognition of a Palestinian state by several countries.
GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said Sunday's meeting, hosted at Kuwait’s permanent mission to the UN, focused on aligning GCC efforts on multiple files and exchanging views about strategic relations with global partners.
The session was chaired by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al Yahya, who currently presides over the GCC Ministerial Council.
"The ministers reaffirmed their full solidarity with the State of Qatar and their firm support for all measures aimed at safeguarding its security and preserving its sovereignty," read a statement issued by the Saudi Foreign Ministry after the meeting.
Earlier this month, Israel targeted Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital Doha in an attack that was strongly condemned by all Gulf states.
In response, Gulf nations agreed to increase intelligence sharing, develop new missile warning systems and hold joint air defence drills.
The Israeli attack also raised questions about US security guarantees in the region after one ally struck another.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken by phone with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, reaffirming Washington’s commitment to GCC security.
They discussed Syria and Sudan, along with efforts to secure the return of hostages from Gaza, address urgent humanitarian needs and ensure Hamas plays no role in Gaza’s future, according to a readout by the US State Department.
Last week, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a defence pact, marking a significant deepening of military co-operation between the two long-time partners.
The agreement is being viewed as a signal to the US and Israel that the kingdom is willing to diversify its security alliances. It also adds a new layer to the Gulf’s recalibrating of security architecture.
