March 8, 2011GCC Foreign Ministers Conclude Meeting
Abu Dhabi, GCC Foreign Ministers concluded here tonight their 118th meeting, chaired by the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is also the current President of the GCC Ministerial Council.
Qatar''s delegation to the meeting was led by HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani.
The GCC Foreign Ministers will discuss the remaining decisions and areas of joint cooperation during their meeting in Riyadh next Thursday.
Participated in the meeting also GCC Secretary General Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Attiyah. In a press conference held at the end of the meeting, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed stressed the position of the Gulf Cooperation Council to support and assist displaced people in Libya who suffer from difficult circumstances or stranded at the Djerba airport, Tunisia.
He stressed that the GCC states were operating at the utmost capacity to provide assistance in various forms noting in this regard that United Arab Emirates has a joint effort with Turkey to deliver such aid .
On the postponement of the Arab summit in Baghdad to May, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed said that "the Arab summit in Baghdad is highly significant for the Iraqis as Iraq is an integral and important part of the Arab nation .. adding he had seen during his recent visit to Baghdad, the latest preparations for the convening of the summit He added that in view of the conditions experienced by some Arab countries the foreign ministers have felt to postpone the Summit to next May.
Then, HE GCC Secretary General read out a statement on the situation in Libya in which he stated that the GCC Ministerial Council was following up the unfortunate events in Libya and expressed its condemnation of the crimes committed against civilians by using heavy weapons and live ammunition and the recruitment of foreign mercenaries, that resulted in the fall of large numbers of victims innocent civilians, which constitute a serious violation of human rights and international humanitarian law.
He called on the Libyan authorities to the immediate cessation of the use of force against civilians, to avoid bloodshed, and to facilitate humanitarian access, and achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Libyan people.
The Ministerial Council commended the initiatives of the GCC states to provide humanitarian assistance to the brotherly Libyan people, especially those affected by current events, hoping that the security and stability prevail throughout this brotherly country.
The Council also expressed its support for the UN Security Council Resolution No. 1970 dated 26.02.2011 and the resolution by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, dated 02/25/2011.
It also praised the decision of the Arab League at the Ministerial level No. 7298 on 02/03/2011 About Libya. The Council called on the Arab League to take responsibility to take all measures to protect civilians and to consider ways to achieve this as well as to hold an urgent meeting to discuss this issue.
The Ministerial Council also urged the UN Security Council to take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of civilians, including the air embargo on Libya.
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