US, Gulf States Urge Completion of Kuwait-Iraq Maritime Border Demarcation

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends breakfast with the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on September 18, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Craig Ruttle / POOL / AFP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends breakfast with the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on September 18, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Craig Ruttle / POOL / AFP)
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US, Gulf States Urge Completion of Kuwait-Iraq Maritime Border Demarcation

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends breakfast with the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on September 18, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Craig Ruttle / POOL / AFP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends breakfast with the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on September 18, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Craig Ruttle / POOL / AFP)

Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United States have called for the completion of the demarcation of the Kuwaiti-Iraqi maritime borders "beyond marker number 162."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, GCC Foreign Ministers, and GCC Secretary General Jasem al-Budaiwi met in New York to celebrate the strategic importance of the historic ties among their countries.

After their meeting, they issued a joint statement urging the complete demarcation of the Kuwait-Iraq maritime boundary beyond boundary point 162.

The officials called on the Iraqi government to expeditiously resolve the domestic legal status of the 2012 Kuwait-Iraq Agreement to regulate maritime navigation in Khor Abdullah and ensure that the agreement remains in force.

They renewed their support for UNSC Resolution 2107 (2013) regarding the transfer of the file related to the repatriation of all Kuwaitis, including missing Kuwaitis, and the return of Kuwaiti property, including the national archives, to the UN Mission to Iraq (UNAMI).

The statement, issued Wednesday, expressed their hope that Iraq will continue cooperating to ensure progress in this file.

They called on Iraq and the UN to exert maximum effort to resolve all the issues.

The UN demarcated the borders between the two countries in 1993 following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. However, this did not encompass the entirety of their maritime boundary, leaving the resolution of this matter to the oil-producing nations.

Furthermore, the GCC countries and the US reiterated their call for Iran to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Iran has denied entry to several IAEA inspectors overseeing Tehran's nuclear activities.

The IAEA's Director-General, Rafael Grossi, described this move as "disproportionate and unprecedented."



Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
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Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has begun a tour of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, marking his second visit to the region and his first since most international sanctions on Syria were lifted.

The trip, which began in the United Arab Emirates, underscores Damascus’s push to reintegrate economically and diplomatically into the Arab world after more than a decade of isolation.

According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, the tour aims to bolster economic cooperation and attract Gulf investments to support Syria’s national reconstruction and development plans.

Al-Sharaa arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where he was received by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders held official talks focusing on post-war recovery, economic partnership, and infrastructure development.

Speaking during the meeting, al-Sharaa said Syria has “turned the page on war and division” and is now focused on building “strategic partnerships” with its Gulf neighbors. He praised the UAE’s role in supporting regional stability and expressed interest in learning from the Emirati model in sustainable development, digital transformation, and clean energy.

For his part, Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the UAE’s full support for Syria’s efforts to restore stability and rebuild its war-torn economy. He stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral ties, especially in key sectors such as infrastructure, investment, and technology.