Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashed Al-Zayyani of Bahrain as the new GCC Secretary General, succeeding Abdulrahman Al-Attiyah. Al-Zayyani, to take over his new post next April (now), was head of the General Security in Bahrain over the past six years.April 2, 2011
GCC Chief condemns Iran''s continuing interference with GCC affairs
RIYADH, Dr. Abdullatif Rashed Al-Zayyani, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, strongly condemned Saturday the continuing Iranian interference with the internal affairs of GCC Arab states in what threatens security and stability of the Arab Gulf region.
Al-Zayyani denounced, in a statement made here today, the false and unjustified accusations embedded in the irresponsible statement that was issued by the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee at Iran's Majlis, the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, regarding Saudi Arabia.
Al-Zayyani also asserted that Iran's call for withdrawing the Peninsula Shield Force from the Kingdom of Bahrain is rejected, and is considered an interference within the internal affairs of Bahrain as such force entered into Bahrain on the back of a criminal conspiracy supported by outside forces, and targeting destabilizing the security of Bahrain and toppling its regime.
Al-Zayyani also refuted the comparison made by the Iranian statement between the existence of the Peninsula Shield Force in Bahrain, and the occupation of Kuwait by the defunct regime of Saddam Hussein, making clear that the presence of the Peninsula Shield Force in Bahrain is legitimate and legal that came on the basis of a request made by the government of Bahrain itself, and in accordance with the agreements signed among the GCC states, foremost among them is the Joint Defense Agreement among the GCC states, and on the basis of the principles of international law.
He also made clear that when Bahrain sought the assistance of the Peninsula Shield Force the move was met with understanding and was welcomed at the Arab, regional, and international levels, while Saddam's brutal and naked aggression against Kuwait was a flagrant occupation of an independent and sovereign Arab country, and so the international community as a whole stood up against it, and it was condemned by all world peoples who united to rout and eliminate it.
Further, Al-Zayyani expressed his wonderment and denouncement of the continuing Iranian interference with the domestic affairs of GCC Arab states, deeming what was recently exposed by the security apparatuses in the State of Kuwait of an Iranian spy ring, a case which when put forward before the Kuwaiti judiciary it had issued a verdict based on irrefutable arguments, as one form of such rejected kind of interferences.
He also stressed that doing any harm to the security and stability of the State of Kuwait represents a direct harm to the security and stability of all GCC states and people, and runs counter to the principles of good neighborliness which GCC states were keen, since the establishment of GCC in 1981, to abide by within their relations with all countries, particularly Iran, in order to protect the common interests of all countries located in such a vital world region.
Finally, Al-Zayyani pointed out that GCC is a coherent system which always did, and will do its best in order to protect the security and stability of its states and peoples, and while it is keen not to interfere with the internal affairs of friendly countries, it also rejects any outside interference with its internal affairs.
Al-Zayyani denounced, in a statement made here today, the false and unjustified accusations embedded in the irresponsible statement that was issued by the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee at Iran's Majlis, the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, regarding Saudi Arabia.
Al-Zayyani also asserted that Iran's call for withdrawing the Peninsula Shield Force from the Kingdom of Bahrain is rejected, and is considered an interference within the internal affairs of Bahrain as such force entered into Bahrain on the back of a criminal conspiracy supported by outside forces, and targeting destabilizing the security of Bahrain and toppling its regime.
Al-Zayyani also refuted the comparison made by the Iranian statement between the existence of the Peninsula Shield Force in Bahrain, and the occupation of Kuwait by the defunct regime of Saddam Hussein, making clear that the presence of the Peninsula Shield Force in Bahrain is legitimate and legal that came on the basis of a request made by the government of Bahrain itself, and in accordance with the agreements signed among the GCC states, foremost among them is the Joint Defense Agreement among the GCC states, and on the basis of the principles of international law.
He also made clear that when Bahrain sought the assistance of the Peninsula Shield Force the move was met with understanding and was welcomed at the Arab, regional, and international levels, while Saddam's brutal and naked aggression against Kuwait was a flagrant occupation of an independent and sovereign Arab country, and so the international community as a whole stood up against it, and it was condemned by all world peoples who united to rout and eliminate it.
Further, Al-Zayyani expressed his wonderment and denouncement of the continuing Iranian interference with the domestic affairs of GCC Arab states, deeming what was recently exposed by the security apparatuses in the State of Kuwait of an Iranian spy ring, a case which when put forward before the Kuwaiti judiciary it had issued a verdict based on irrefutable arguments, as one form of such rejected kind of interferences.
He also stressed that doing any harm to the security and stability of the State of Kuwait represents a direct harm to the security and stability of all GCC states and people, and runs counter to the principles of good neighborliness which GCC states were keen, since the establishment of GCC in 1981, to abide by within their relations with all countries, particularly Iran, in order to protect the common interests of all countries located in such a vital world region.
Finally, Al-Zayyani pointed out that GCC is a coherent system which always did, and will do its best in order to protect the security and stability of its states and peoples, and while it is keen not to interfere with the internal affairs of friendly countries, it also rejects any outside interference with its internal affairs.
