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Russian-Arab Ministerial Meeting Asserts Need to Maintain Safety of Maritime Navigation

The Arab-Russian ministerial meeting (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Arab-Russian ministerial meeting (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Russian-Arab Ministerial Meeting Asserts Need to Maintain Safety of Maritime Navigation

The Arab-Russian ministerial meeting (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Arab-Russian ministerial meeting (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the threats in the Middle East necessitate a "common" position to solve dangers that pose challenges for the region.

Lavrov was speaking at the opening of the 6th session of the Arab Russian Forum, which kicked off in Marrakech.

"This meeting is held in a context marked by an unprecedented escalation of the situation in the Middle East and lingering turmoil in the world, "Lavrov said at the opening ceremony of the Forum, chaired by Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita.

Lavrov addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, describing the situation as "unprecedented," stressing that Russia's current priorities are to stop the bloodshed and provide the necessary conditions for humanitarian assistance.

Lavrov emphasized that the current situation will persist and recur until the root causes of the conflict are addressed.

Russia also regrets the "long-standing lack of justice and the failure to achieve the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their state with its capital in East Jerusalem on the 1967 borders."

The Russian top diplomat stated that Moscow's position is similar to the stances expressed by Arab countries during the Arab Islamic Summit held in Riyadh last year.

"Our joint task is to support the conflicting parties in initiating a negotiation process and resolving all disputes within it, and we need a common diplomatic mechanism to implement the international community's decisions.

For his part, Bourita highlighted the tangible progress in Russian-Arab cooperation since establishing the partnership in 2009.

He emphasized the maturity of the Forum, underlining its significance as a framework for dialogue and collaboration aligned with mutual expectations.

The Moroccan FM aspired to elevate the Forum to a level of genuine and effective Arab-Russian strategic dialogue, emphasizing "respect, shared responsibility, openness, solidarity, and commitment" as the pillars of this partnership.

He called for a balanced approach that considers both partners' political and economic interests alongside the realities, capabilities, and aspirations.

Morocco reiterated its concerns about the situation in Gaza, and Bourita stressed the need for an immediate de-escalation in Gaza amid Israeli aggression.

The FM reiterated King Mohammed VI's call for collective action to de-escalate the situation and achieve a permanent and monitorable ceasefire to protect civilians.

He said this aims to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza and establish a political horizon for the Palestinian issue based on the internationally agreed upon two-state solution.

Bourita added that King Mohammed VI repeatedly stressed that no alternative to peace in the region guarantees the Palestinians their legitimate rights within the framework of the two-state solution and an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Addressing the Libyan crisis, Bourita expressed hope for the completion of the political process in the country through inter-Libyan efforts free from external influences and intervention.

According to Boruita, this would mark the beginning of a new phase in Libya, characterized by stability, legitimacy, and response to the Libyan people's aspirations.

Also at the Forum, Arab League Sec-Gen Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in his speech that Arab-Russian ties have proven their effectiveness throughout history through close cooperation and mutual trust.

Aboul-Gheit explained that the Arab region witnessed security and political challenges in recent years, highlighting that overcoming these complex crises in Syria, Yemen, Sudan, and Somalia requires understanding and cooperating among major international powers, including Russia, as a genuine partner of many Arab countries.

The Palestinian cause remains a primary concern facing the region, said the diplomat, recalling that the Israeli crimes in Gaza are a disgrace to everyone who supported them or stood against an immediate ceasefire in the Strip.

Aboul Gheit also stressed that addressing the Gaza tragedy and preventing its recurrence requires a radical solution, noting that "this means implementing the two-state solution as quickly as possible."

The final statement of the Forum said that its participants stressed the principle of freedom of maritime navigation in international waters by international laws and sea agreements.

The communique stressed the need to guarantee the safety and security of maritime traffic in the Gulf and the Red Sea.

It also called for securing energy supply lines, rejecting actions targeting the security and safety of navigation and maritime facilities, energy supplies, oil pipelines, and oil installations in the Arabian Gulf and other waterwa

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Long Waits for Canadian Visas Leave Gazans in Limbo

Reem Alyazouri and her husband, Ashraf Alyazouri, who escaped Gaza and reached Toronto, pose for a photograph in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio
Reem Alyazouri and her husband, Ashraf Alyazouri, who escaped Gaza and reached Toronto, pose for a photograph in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio
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Long Waits for Canadian Visas Leave Gazans in Limbo

Reem Alyazouri and her husband, Ashraf Alyazouri, who escaped Gaza and reached Toronto, pose for a photograph in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio
Reem Alyazouri and her husband, Ashraf Alyazouri, who escaped Gaza and reached Toronto, pose for a photograph in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio

Reem Alyazouri's escape from a bombarded Gaza City through Egypt ended in Toronto on Sept. 4.
But as she and her family wrestle with applications for work permits and health insurance, her mother and father remain stuck in Cairo waiting for Canadian visas after fleeing Israel's war in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza seven months ago, Reuters said.
"My mind is busy with my parents," she said. "I feel guilty, believe me. When I came here and I left them behind they told us, 'Go and start your life. ... Don't worry about us.'"
The family is trying to come to Canada through a temporary residence program for Gazans with relatives here. Alyazouri's brother Hani Abushomar, a Canadian citizen, applied for six of his family members to join him in Canada hours after the program was launched in January.
Nine months and a harrowing exit from Gaza later, his mother and father remain stranded in Cairo. They completed the last major step of the visa application process - submitting biometric information - six months ago.
They are among thousands of Palestinians waiting for visas from Canada, a country that prides itself on welcoming people from around the world.
Canada said in May it would bring in up to 5,000 Gazans - expanding on a pledge in December to take in 1,000 from the Palestinian enclave. Months later, just over 300 have arrived, with 698 applications approved out of over 4,200 submitted.
Reuters spoke with multiple applicants who said they have been waiting for months since submitting biometric information, dashing their hopes of a swift reunion with relatives in Canada.
Canada has made no promises on how long it would take to process visas for Gazans fleeing the conflict and says it has little control over who is able to leave the enclave.
A cross-border attack by Hamas militants on Oct. 7 last year, in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and over 250 taken hostage, ignited the war that has flattened most of Gaza, displacing most of its 2.3 million people and killing more than 41,800 people, according to Gaza health authorities.
Canada's focus "is on keeping families together and bringing them to safety as quickly as possible," immigration department spokesperson Julie Lafortune wrote in an email. The primary barrier is getting out of Gaza, she added.
Application processing times vary "based on the details and complexity of each file, and many factors are outside of the IRCC's control," Lafortune said, referring to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada department.
The immigration department would not say how many applicants have submitted biometric information and are waiting in Egypt.
BARRIERS TO ENTRY
Immigration lawyers say the wait for Gazans is longer than those faced by other groups fleeing conflict or disaster, and that the small numbers approved contrast with hundreds of thousands of visas granted to Ukrainians under a similar program offering temporary status.
One Canadian immigration expert said some of the visa requirements for Gazans - such as having to provide employment information dating back to when they were 16 - are unusual.
"Canada has a lot of experience in designing temporary, ad hoc programs and this one has an inordinate amount of barriers and hurdles for people to meet," said University of Ottawa law professor Jamie Chai Yun Liew, who focuses on immigration.
Liew said the Gaza program is moving slower than other Canadian temporary immigration programs, including those for Ukranians and survivors of the 2023 earthquake in Syria and Türkiye.
As of April, Canada had approved nearly 963,000 applications under the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel since March 2022. So far nearly 300,000 people have arrived in Canada under that program.
Australia has granted about 3,000 visitor visas to people from Gaza since October 2023 and about 1,300 have arrived in the country, said Graham Thom, advocacy coordinator with the Refugee Council of Australia, a research and advocacy group.
'EVERYTHING IS UNCERTAIN'
Gazans who have managed to get to Egypt live in limbo, surviving off savings or donations, without access to government services, said immigration lawyer Debbie Rachlis, adding she represents dozens in that position. Many are survivors of trauma.
They beat the odds just by getting that far, and for most, the escape came at great personal risk. The Gaza City neighborhood where Alyazouri and Abushomar's family lived has been "erased," he said. They were forced to flee from their home multiple times. Alyazouri's daughter was injured.
"Something in my heart is broken," Alyazouri said.
The Canadian government said it continues to put forward the names of applicants to local Israeli officials, "but does not ultimately decide who can exit Gaza."
"Israel has agreed to Canada's request for the exit of extended family members in Gaza as part of their expanding humanitarian efforts. However, at present, the Rafah border crossing is closed,” Lafortune wrote, referring to the main entry point between Gaza and Egypt.
Abushomar has been waiting with his mother and father for visas in Egypt, where people in their position lack papers to work, access health care or open a bank account. He says he will eventually have to return to Canada to work and worries for his parents, especially his mother, who has dementia and joint problems.
For now, Abushomar says, "Everything is uncertain."