Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi called on Monday Iraq to withdraw the list of coordinates and the map lodged with the United Nations, which includes claims regarding Iraqi maritime zones.
In a statement, Albudaiwi said the coordinates and map infringe on Kuwait’s sovereignty over its maritime areas and shoals, including Fasht Al-Qaid and Fasht Al-Aij.
He underscored the importance of resorting to international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in a manner consistent with the understandings, agreements, and bilateral memoranda of understanding concluded between the two countries.
Albudaiwi reiterated the GCC’s steadfast positions and previous resolutions on Iraq's respect for Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity and its categorical rejection of any violation of Kuwait's sovereignty.
"The GCC and Iraq are bound by deep-rooted historical relations and close ties based on mutual respect and good neighborliness," he stressed, noting that such claims undermine efforts to boost cooperation and bilateral relations between Iraq and Kuwait.
He hoped Baghdad would withdraw the list of coordinates and the map in order to bolster mutual trust, support the stability of relations, and enshrine commitment to relevant legal and international principles.
