عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Gulf

Bahrain to Announce Initiatives for Fresh Start in Joint Arab Action

The Crown Prince of Bahrain receives the foreign ministers of Arab countries participating in the preparatory meeting for the Arab Summit. (SPA)
The Crown Prince of Bahrain receives the foreign ministers of Arab countries participating in the preparatory meeting for the Arab Summit. (SPA)
TT
TT

Bahrain to Announce Initiatives for Fresh Start in Joint Arab Action

The Crown Prince of Bahrain receives the foreign ministers of Arab countries participating in the preparatory meeting for the Arab Summit. (SPA)
The Crown Prince of Bahrain receives the foreign ministers of Arab countries participating in the preparatory meeting for the Arab Summit. (SPA)

A senior Bahraini official said that the Bahrain Declaration, which will be issued Thursday at the conclusion of the 33rd Arab Summit, will express a unified Arab position toward many Arab files, mainly the Palestinian issue.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Ambassador Ahmed Al-Tarifi, Head of Arab and African Affairs at the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Manama will announce, on the sidelines of the summit, a set of initiatives that will constitute a new beginning for joint Arab action.

He noted that the Bahraini Foreign Minister, Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Zayani, undertook a tour to Arab capitals, to coordinate with his counterparts on the Bahrain Declaration, saying the summit will express “the unified Arab position” towards the current developments in the Arab world.

“In addition, a number of initiatives will be launched by the Kingdom of Bahrain, which will constitute a new beginning in joint Arab action,” he remarked.

The Bahraini official pointed to challenges facing the Arab world, foremost of which is the Palestinian file and the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the rest of the Palestinian territories. He also spoke about other problems, including the situation in Sudan and Libya, and food security in the Arab world, stressing that all these issues will be discussed by the Arab leaders on Thursday.

Asked about Bahrain’s initiative to host an international conference on the Palestinian cause and the two-state solution, the Director of Arab and African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Manama is “determined to host an international peace conference that addresses the Palestinian issue and the two-state solution, within the framework of ongoing Arab and international effort in this regard.”

He added: “We saw one of the outcomes of this endeavor, last week in the United Nations General Assembly when Palestine received the votes of 143 countries. This is an Arab diplomatic success that reflects the results of joint Arab influence.”

Most Viewed

 
 
Gulf

MWL Condemns Terrorist Bombing in Afghanistan’s Capital

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
TT
TT

MWL Condemns Terrorist Bombing in Afghanistan’s Capital

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo

The Muslim World League (MWL) condemned on Thursday the terrorist bombing at a restaurant in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul that left several killed and wounded, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

In a statement issued by the General Secretariat, MWL Secretary-General and Organization of Muslim Scholars Chairman Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa reaffirmed the MWL’s firm stance rejecting violence and terrorism in all forms and under any pretext.

He expressed solidarity with Afghanistan in confronting all threats to its security, stability, and the safety of its people.

Al-Issa expressed the MWL’s sincere condolences to the Afghan people and the families of the victims.

Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister Meets with British, French Counterparts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Middle East)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Middle East)
TT
TT

Saudi Foreign Minister Meets with British, French Counterparts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Middle East)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Middle East)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held separate meetings with his counterparts from the UK and France on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the Saudi Press Agency reported Wednesday.

He met with Yvette Cooper, the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs where they reviewed bilateral relations and the latest regional developments, as well as joint efforts to address them.

The Saudi minister also held talks with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot. Discussions highlighted the latest regional developments and joint efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in the region.

Gulf

Al-Wali to Asharq Al-Awsat: Riyadh Talks a Pivotal Moment for Yemen’s Southern Cause

Former Yemeni minister and veteran southern politician Abdel Nasser Al-Wali speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat.
Former Yemeni minister and veteran southern politician Abdel Nasser Al-Wali speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat.
TT
TT

Al-Wali to Asharq Al-Awsat: Riyadh Talks a Pivotal Moment for Yemen’s Southern Cause

Former Yemeni minister and veteran southern politician Abdel Nasser Al-Wali speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat.
Former Yemeni minister and veteran southern politician Abdel Nasser Al-Wali speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat.

Former Yemeni minister and veteran southern politician Abdel Nasser Al-Wali described the meeting of Yemen’s southern leaders in Riyadh for consultations and dialogue on their cause on Sunday as a pivotal moment in its history, calling for the opening created by Saudi Arabia to be channeled into a political process that delivers lasting peace.

Speaking on the Asharq Al-Awsat podcast with Gulf affairs editor Badr Al-Qahtani, Al-Wali said Riyadh was not merely a diplomatic stop, but a place close to the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds, offering a chance to correct past shortcomings in conveying the southern voice.

The veteran Yemeni politician said southerners now faced a “huge opportunity” under Saudi sponsorship, noting that Riyadh had taken the initiative to invite discussions on the issue and “left the matter in our hands.”

He pointed to Saudi Arabia’s role in bringing the parties together without imposing guardianship and in supporting whatever they agree upon without interference.

He said Saudi assurances had been explicit: “The opinion is yours, the decision is yours. We are sponsors and will not impose anything on you. Raise your ceiling to the sky.”

Al-Wali said a message from Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman was clear and direct.

“The southern cause is just, with historical and social dimensions, and the Kingdom will not abandon the people of the south and will stand with their will,” he remarked.

“It is enough for the southern voice to reach Saudi Arabia, and for it to understand the justice of the pain that has accumulated since unification,” he stressed.

On preparations for the Riyadh Conference for Yemeni southern dialogue, Al-Wali said discussions would address the shape of the state and its system “with an open ceiling,” to be decided by consensus without exclusion.

The focus was on restoring the state as a path toward dignity, security, stability, development, and prosperity for people, he went on to say.

“The South has room for everyone. There are no intentions of marginalization or exclusion. Any other projects are not sidelined, but discussed,” he assured.

Al-Wali addressed a message to the southern people, saying: “Trust us. We represent in Riyadh those who authorized us,” in a reference to not compromising the cause or taking decisions that contradict popular will.

In another message, he said: “The Saudis will find from the southerners only what pleases God and pleases them, while preserving the bonds of neighborhood, blood, kinship, and shared interests.”

Turning to the roots of the issue, Al-Wali said Yemeni unity had not been an “invasion” or imposed by force, but a voluntary move toward Sanaa “with open hearts,” in the hope of a larger state, a broader economy, and deeper development.

He said that if the price of stability, calm, and development were Yemen’s return to two states, then it would be better, in his view, to have two neighboring states bound by affection, with flexible and smooth economic and social relations and strong fraternal ties, rather than antagonism that “paralyzed both peoples.”

Outlining his vision for a future state, Al-Wali presented the contours of a “federal southern state” that would grant governorates room to contribute to development, investment, and wealth, with equality in rights and duties and fairness in the distribution of resources so that they reach all who deserve them.

He reiterated the centrality of Saudi Arabia’s role, saying the Kingdom’s weight was “very balanced” regionally and globally, and that its engagement represented a historic opportunity to achieve peace “without it being followed by war.”

Asked how he found Riyadh, Al-Wali replied: “As I have always known it. A country of security and stability. Calm and serenity. Love and peace. You come to it, your soul settles, and you feel reassured.”

“Their promises are sincere and are not broken,” he stressed.