Russia: AlUla Summit Will Lead to Positive Regional Developments

Gulf leaders pose for a family photo ahead of the AlUla summit. (SPA)
Gulf leaders pose for a family photo ahead of the AlUla summit. (SPA)
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Russia: AlUla Summit Will Lead to Positive Regional Developments

Gulf leaders pose for a family photo ahead of the AlUla summit. (SPA)
Gulf leaders pose for a family photo ahead of the AlUla summit. (SPA)

Chairman of the Russian State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky said Tuesday that the annual summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held in AlUla last week would positively reflect on the process of complex files in the region, particularly in Syria.

Slutsky said Russia is interested to enhance settlement processes in the region and recovery of Arab unity.

The summit “will directly reflect on the joint interests of regional states, and Russia itself,” he stressed.

Gulf Arab leaders signed a declaration last week in Saudi Arabia to mark a new page in relations after ending a diplomatic and economic boycott of Qatar that lasted over 40 months.

“AlUla summit brought an end to the unhealthy situation that we witnessed in the past few years. I am sure that the results of this summit would reflect in upcoming steps to renew full cooperation among regional states,” Slutsky said.

He confirmed that any positive development in the region would affect the security of the Eurasian region.

“First of all, there are talks about unity among Gulf states to combat the multiple common threats, including terrorism, extremist ideologies and the spread of mass destruction weapons, in addition to the number of crises, mainly in Syria, Yemen and Libya and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” he said.

Slutsky added: “AlUla summit removed the principle obstacle hindering the implementation of the Russian initiative, which aims to enhance security in this strategic region, and to find solutions to other crises, particularly the Syrian crisis.”

He hoped that the Arab unity would also pave the way for the Arab League to reinstate Syria’s membership.



Arab League to Convene Emergency Meeting to Address Israeli Threats Against Iraq

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
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Arab League to Convene Emergency Meeting to Address Israeli Threats Against Iraq

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)

The permanent delegates to the Arab League will convene an extraordinary session on Sunday, chaired by Yemen, in response to a request from Iraq.

Arab League Assistant Secretary General Ambassador Hossam Zaki said on Saturday that the meeting will focus on a memo from the UN Security Council president, which contains the Israeli occupation's claims of increased attacks from Iraqi territory since September, SPA reported.

"The General Secretariat of the Arab League received Iraq's request to hold an extraordinary session of the Arab League Council.”

“The request was circulated among member states for consultation, and it was agreed to hold the meeting tomorrow at the General Secretariat," Zaki said, adding that several Arab countries have expressed support for Iraq's initiative.