Saudi Arabia Stresses Commitment to Oil Market Stability

King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Stresses Commitment to Oil Market Stability

King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government reiterated on Tuesday the Kingdom's commitment to the stability of the global oil market.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Riyadh.

The ministers reviewed the telephone call received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from French President Emmanuel Macron. They tackled regional and international developments, notably the war in Ukraine and its impact on the energy markets.

The Kingdom stressed its keenness on the stability of the oil markets and its commitment to the OPEC+ agreement.

The government underlined the statement by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that supported international efforts aimed at ending the escalation in Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy so that security and stability can be restored and a political solution can be reached.

The cabinet highlighted the Kingdom's Founding Day that was celebrated last week. It thanked world leaders for congratulating Saudi Arabia on the occasion, which celebrates the history and unification of the nation.

The ministers underscored the Kingdom's remarks at the Munich Security Conference where it expressed its support to efforts aimed at ensuring the security and stability of the Middle East and world.

It stressed its backing to working with international partners to resolve the crisis in Yemen through reaching a comprehensive ceasefire and political solution based on the three references: the Gulf initiative, outcomes of the national dialogue and United Nations Security Council resolution 2216.

The cabinet welcomed the Security Council's designation of the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen as terrorist and its expansion of the weapons embargo on Yemen to include all Houthis. It hoped that the move would put an end to the militias' terrorist actions and neutralize their danger against the Yemeni people and international security and peace.



Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Talks Make Some Progress

FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
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Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Talks Make Some Progress

FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo

Qatar's prime minister said on Sunday that efforts to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza have made some progress but an agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the war remains elusive.

"We have seen on Thursday a bit of progress compared to other meetings yet we need to find an answer for the ultimate question: how to end this war. That's the key point of the entire negotiations," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister, Reuters reported.

Mossad Director David Barnea traveled to Doha on Thursday to meet Sheikh Mohammed amid efforts to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza, Axios reported last week.

Sheikh Mohammed didn't say which elements of the ceasefire talks had progressed in recent days, but said Hamas and Israel remained at odds over the ultimate goal of negotiations.

He said the militant group is willing to return all remaining Israeli hostages if Israel ends the war in Gaza. But Israel wants Hamas to release the remaining hostages without offering a clear vision on ending the war, he said.

"When you don't have a common objective, a common goal between the parties, I believe the opportunities (to end the war) become very thin," Sheikh Mohammed said at a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Fidan said talks Turkish officials have held with Hamas had shown the group would be more open to an agreement that goes beyond a ceasefire in Gaza and aims for a lasting solution to the crisis with Israel, including a two-state solution.

Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza on March 18 after a January ceasefire collapsed, saying it would keep up pressure on Hamas until it frees the remaining hostages still held in the enclave. Up to 24 of them are believed to still be alive.

The Gaza war started after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack. Since then, Israel's offensive on the enclave killed more than 51,400, according to local health officials.