Riyadh Prepares to Host Strategic GCC Dialogues with Russia, India

Gulf foreign ministers and GCC Secretary-General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi meet in Doha in June. (GCC)
Gulf foreign ministers and GCC Secretary-General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi meet in Doha in June. (GCC)
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Riyadh Prepares to Host Strategic GCC Dialogues with Russia, India

Gulf foreign ministers and GCC Secretary-General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi meet in Doha in June. (GCC)
Gulf foreign ministers and GCC Secretary-General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi meet in Doha in June. (GCC)

The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries will meet in Riyadh on Monday for their 161st Ministerial Council. They will also hold joint separate meetings with their counterparts from Russia, India and Brazil.

GCC Secretary-General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi said in August that the Ministerial Council will tackle several issues related to joint Gulf work, and regional and international developments.

The members of the council will hold a number of joint ministerial meetings with several countries to discuss cooperation and coordination and exchange views on regional and international developments.

The ministers will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the seventh GCC-Russia strategic dialogue. The two parties had previously underscored the importance of the dialogue between them to achieve common interests and deepen relations.

They had approved the Gulf-Russian 2023-2028 joint plan that is aimed at strengthening ties and exchanging expertise in several areas.

The parties last met in Moscow in July. They agreed to intensify efforts to achieve peace, security, stability and prosperity around the world.

They agreed to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of nations and to refrain from meddling in their internal affairs. They stressed the need to confront challenges and crises through peaceful means, prioritize dialogue and resolve conflicts through negotiations.

The meeting welcomed GCC efforts to pave the way for a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine.

The GCC ministers will also meet with their Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the first ever between the two sides.

They will also hold joint talks with Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, who was invited to Riyadh by Al Budawi during a visit to Brazil in June.

Officials are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding and joint work plan aimed at bolstering and developing relations between them.



Saudi Arabia Urges International Community to Halt Israeli Violations of International Law, Norms

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud charing Tuesday's cabinet session - SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud charing Tuesday's cabinet session - SPA
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Saudi Arabia Urges International Community to Halt Israeli Violations of International Law, Norms

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud charing Tuesday's cabinet session - SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud charing Tuesday's cabinet session - SPA

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reiterated its call upon the international community to fulfill its responsibility in halting Israel's ongoing violations of international law and norms. This came during the cabinet session held on Tuesday, which was chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The Cabinet also stressed the importance of respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity to prevent further escalation of regional crises and to support efforts toward achieving a just and comprehensive peace.

The Cabinet was further briefed on the message that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques received from Republic of Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and the two phone calls received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud from President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula.
The Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the Crown Prince's meeting with Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic Kyriakos Mitsotakis and of the strategic partnership council between the two friendly countries, which included reviewing cooperation ties and means to enhance them across various fields and exchanging views on developments of mutual interest and ongoing efforts in this regard.
In a statement to SPA following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary highlighted the Cabinet's discussion of current regional and international developments. The Cabinet commended the broad international participation in the recent ministerial meetings on Syria hosted by the Kingdom, which aim to support the Syrian people through humanitarian and economic assistance and to help them rebuild Syria as a unified, independent, and secure nation for all its citizens. The Cabinet emphasized that Syria must be free from terrorism and any aggression against its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The meeting also reviewed the Kingdom's ongoing international development and humanitarian relief efforts, which aim to alleviate the suffering of those in need worldwide.