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Riyadh to Host Unofficial Meeting between Gulf Countries, Egypt and Jordan

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
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Riyadh to Host Unofficial Meeting between Gulf Countries, Egypt and Jordan

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia will host on Friday an unofficial meeting between leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Jordan and Egypt.

The “fraternal” meeting aims to bolster cooperation and coordination between the countries.

An official Saudi source said the meeting is taking place at the invitation of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and will be held in Riyadh.

Such gatherings have been held regularly over the years given the close fraternal ties that bind the leaders, he added.

The officials will discuss the emergency Arab League summit that Egypt is hosting on March 4.

Saudi political analyst Dr. Khaled al-Habbas told Asharq Al-Awsat that the meeting is part of the ongoing coordination and consultations between these countries, which gain more significance in wake of the developments in the region.

The developments in the Palestinian territories will top the agenda, he revealed.

Moreover, he noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the meeting underscores its leading political role in the region and world, highlighting Riyadh’s hosting on Tuesday of landmark talks between the United States and Russia aimed at mending their relations and restoring peace in Ukraine.

The Arab League summit next month will focus on the developments in the Palestinian territories. Arab countries are drafting a plan about the future of Gaza to counter US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he wants to displace its residents and impose US control over the enclave.

His proposal was vehemently rejected by the Arab world and denounced by US allies and opponents alike.

Cairo is mulling a plan that would establish “safe zones” for the people of Gaza as the enclave is reconstructed. The plan will be presented at the Arab summit.

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GCC Reaffirms Support for Kuwait on Khor Abdullah Dispute

A glimpse of the GCC Ministerial Council's extraordinary meeting via video conference on Tuesday (GCC)
A glimpse of the GCC Ministerial Council's extraordinary meeting via video conference on Tuesday (GCC)
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GCC Reaffirms Support for Kuwait on Khor Abdullah Dispute

A glimpse of the GCC Ministerial Council's extraordinary meeting via video conference on Tuesday (GCC)
A glimpse of the GCC Ministerial Council's extraordinary meeting via video conference on Tuesday (GCC)

Gulf Arab states on Tuesday voiced their full support for Kuwait’s position in a maritime border dispute with Iraq, stressing the need for positive progress in demarcation talks and for Baghdad to respect Kuwaiti sovereignty.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi said the bloc’s 47th extraordinary ministerial meeting was held in Riyadh under the chairmanship of Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya, whose country holds the rotating presidency.

The ministers discussed developments concerning the demarcation of the maritime boundary between Kuwait and Iraq beyond border marker 162.

Albudaiwi said Kuwait's foreign minister briefed his counterparts on the latest developments with Iraq and the outcomes of recent discussions on the issue.

In a joint statement, GCC foreign ministers expressed “the full and unwavering support of member states for Kuwait’s position on the maritime boundary demarcation with Iraq.”

They also called for “positive progress in the ongoing talks and a firm commitment to all protocols agreed by the joint technical and legal committee” on the demarcation process beyond marker 162.

Albudaiwi added that the GCC ministers reaffirmed their categorical rejection of any infringement on Kuwait’s sovereignty, including over its territory, islands, highlands, and maritime zones.

GCC ministers also reiterated their firm stance on the ownership of the Durra gas field, reaffirming commitment to previous decisions made during the GCC’s 45th summit in December 2024.

The council emphasized that the entire Durra field lies within Kuwait’s maritime territory, underscoring that the natural resources in the submerged area adjacent to the divided zone shared between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia – including the Durra field – are jointly owned by the two countries.

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia hold exclusive rights to exploit these resources, in accordance with international law and existing agreements between the two nations.

The GCC’s statement further stressed its resolute rejection of any claims by other parties to rights over the Durra field or the submerged area bordering the Kuwait-Saudi divided zone.