عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Gulf

GCC Ministerial Council Urges Iraq to Address Khor Abdullah Court Decision

A general view of Baghdad, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)
A general view of Baghdad, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)
TT
TT

GCC Ministerial Council Urges Iraq to Address Khor Abdullah Court Decision

A general view of Baghdad, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)
A general view of Baghdad, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have called upon Iraq to take immediate measures to address the negative repercussions of its Federal Supreme Court’s decision regarding the Khor Abdullah agreement with Kuwait.  

On September 4, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court annulled the law ratifying a 2012 agreement between Iraq and Kuwait on the Khor Abdullah strait in the Arabian Gulf, which regulated maritime navigation on the crucial waterway. Last Friday, Kuwait lodged a formal protest with Iraq.  

The agreement to regulate navigation in Khor Abdullah was approved by the Iraqi Parliament under Law No. 42 of 2013 and by the Kuwaiti National Assembly under Law No. 4 of 2013.   

Additionally, Kuwait’s foreign minister discussed the Iraqi court’s decision with US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf in New York.   

The Ministerial Council of GCC Foreign Ministers held a coordination meeting on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Sunday. 

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah briefed his GCC counterparts on the implications of the Iraqi court’s ruling.  

The ministerial council urged Iraq “to take serious and immediate steps to address the negative consequences” of the ruling. 

In a statement, the council also said that the ruling included inaccurate historical details regarding the 2012 agreement. 

The council stressed that these developments do not serve relations with the GCC countries and violate international charters, treaties and agreements, including UN Security Council Resolution 833.  

The meeting between Kuwait’s top diplomat and Leaf touched on bilateral ties and cooperation between Kuwait and the US, as well as discussing the Khor Abdullah dispute. 

“The Iraqi government must first work to calm tensions with Kuwait by sending an official message stating that the annulment of the ratification of the agreement by the Federal Court, for reasons related to the legal authority of the voting process, does not affect the agreement signed between the two governments,” Iraqi academic and researcher Dr. Yahya Al-Kubisi told Asharq Al-Awsat.   

Furthermore, Al-Kubisi urged the Iraqi government to engage in bilateral discussions with Kuwait to amend the clauses that have been used as a pretext to oppose the agreement.  

Legal expert Ali Tamimi, in remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, explained that the decision of the Federal Supreme Court was based on the premise that the Iraqi constitution requires a specific legislative law for voting on significant agreements, including border demarcation, with a two-thirds majority of parliamentary members. 

“The court’s decision of unconstitutionality of the vote does not mean the cancellation of the agreement as much as it implies its suspension until a law requiring a two-thirds majority vote is legislated,” said Tamimi. 

Most Viewed

 
 
Gulf

Makkah Entry Permit Requirement Comes into Effect for Residents

Police return violators and vehicles at security checkpoints leading to Makkah. (SPA)
Police return violators and vehicles at security checkpoints leading to Makkah. (SPA)
TT
TT

Makkah Entry Permit Requirement Comes into Effect for Residents

Police return violators and vehicles at security checkpoints leading to Makkah. (SPA)
Police return violators and vehicles at security checkpoints leading to Makkah. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Public Security announced that the Hajj regulations and entry procedures for Makkah took effect on Monday, April 13, requiring residents wishing to enter the city to obtain permits from the relevant authorities. Residents without valid entry permits will be denied access to Makkah.

Public Security stated that the measures apply to residents who do not possess a permit issued by the relevant authorities to work in the Holy Sites, a Makkah-issued residency ID, or a valid Hajj permit.

It added that entry permits for residents working during the Hajj season are issued electronically via the Absher Individuals platform and the Muqeem portal, through technical integration with the unified digital platform for issuing Hajj permits, “Tasreeh.”

Gulf

Gulf Observers Outline Views on US Iran Talks, 14-Day Truce

A security officer stands in front of a sign for the Islamabad talks outside a media center set up to cover negotiations between the United States and Iran (AP)
A security officer stands in front of a sign for the Islamabad talks outside a media center set up to cover negotiations between the United States and Iran (AP)
TT
TT

Gulf Observers Outline Views on US Iran Talks, 14-Day Truce

A security officer stands in front of a sign for the Islamabad talks outside a media center set up to cover negotiations between the United States and Iran (AP)
A security officer stands in front of a sign for the Islamabad talks outside a media center set up to cover negotiations between the United States and Iran (AP)

As a 14-day truce announced by the United States and Iran, brokered by Pakistan on April 8, continues to hold, and just hours after the end of the US Iran “Islamabad talks” without an agreement, Gulf states are closely watching how the situation will evolve during the temporary ceasefire period.

Three Gulf observers shared their views in response to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat on how Gulf countries see the US-Iran negotiations and their options depending on whether a deal is reached. They broadly agreed on the importance of taking Gulf concerns into account in any negotiations.

Former Kuwaiti information minister Saad bin Tefla al-Ajmi said Gulf states are primarily concerned with two key issues, peace and stability. He stressed that under no circumstances should any Gulf country become party to negotiations over freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz or support such talks, as this would amount to negotiating an established principle of international law.

Calls to assess all possible scenarios

Al-Ajmi stressed that freedom of navigation in international straits such as Hormuz, Gibraltar and Bab al-Mandab is governed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and should not be turned into a subject of political bargaining, as this would contradict the principle of freedom of the seas.

As for options if no agreement is reached, he said this would depend on the positions of the two sides, Iran and the United States. Gulf countries, he remarked, opposed the war from the outset but are now “required to assess all possible scenarios following the outbreak of war and exposure to Iranian attacks.”

He questioned whether Washington would continue granting Tehran additional deadlines or move toward resuming hostilities. In any case, he noted that Gulf states must be prepared for all scenarios, including the possibility of renewed conflict.

Political analyst Moneef Ammash al-Harbi said Gulf states view the US-Iran negotiations positively, based on their belief that military solutions do not lead to lasting settlements. He added that Gulf countries had sought, before February 28, to steer the region away from a military path and its consequences.

No flawed deal

Al-Harbi underlined that Gulf states do not want a flawed agreement similar to the 2015 deal, which he said does not prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons but merely delays it within a limited timeframe.

He outlined four Gulf requirements for any lasting agreement. These include preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons to avoid a regional arms race, addressing the ballistic missile issue in terms of range and capabilities, curbing Iran’s destabilizing regional role and ending support for militias, and ensuring Iran respects freedom of navigation in the Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab without using direct or indirect means to disrupt it.

He warned that if no agreement is reached, Gulf states would keep all options open, including military action, particularly if Iranian attacks on Gulf countries continue.

Abdullah al-Junaid said Gulf influence was reflected in the ceasefire decision and in the choice of Pakistan as mediator. However, he noted that Gulf states “have not put forward a unified framework representing a minimum consensus on post crisis Gulf Iran relations and the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Al-Junaid also noted that the US Navy is currently clearing the Strait of Hormuz to secure navigation, describing this as unrelated to the halted war. He said Gulf naval forces should join the effort, as it would send political as well as security signals.

“That is the diplomacy that should be pursued now, rather than relying solely on traditional approaches,” he remarked.

Gulf

Saudi King Approves Awarding Medals to 200 Organ Donors

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
TT
TT

Saudi King Approves Awarding Medals to 200 Organ Donors

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has approved awarding the King Abdulaziz Medal (Third Class) to 200 Saudi citizens in recognition of their major organ donations, whether as living donors or following brain death, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.