Qatar Participates in Ministerial Meeting of 157th Regular Session of Arab League Council

Cairo, March 09 (QNA) - The State of Qatar took part in the ministerial meeting of the 157th regular session of the Arab League Council, which was held Wednesday at the headquarters of the Arab League General Secretariat in Cairo. HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi chaired the delegation of the State of Qatar at the meeting. In the speech of the State of Qatar to the meeting, HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs extended sincere congratulations to HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lebanon Abdullah Bou Habib for assuming the presidency of this session, expressing full confidence in his experience and wisdom, which will have a significant positive impact on the success of the work of this session. HE the Muraikhi also extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the sisterly State of Kuwait Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah for his appreciated effort and good management during his presidency of the previous session. He also thanked Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit for his efforts to achieve the League's objectives. HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi said that the Arab region is still facing many challenges and risks that negatively affect its security and stability, referring to the continuation of many unresolved conflicts in some Arab countries, as well as the global challenges which also have an impact on the Arab region. He underlined that the Palestinian issue will remain the central issue of the Arab nation until it is resolved through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. He reiterated the State of Qatar's firm position on the justice of the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, including the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. He also renewed Qatar's strong condemnation of the brutal attacks carried out by the Israeli occupation forces and the settlers' militias on defenseless Palestinian civilians in all the occupied Palestinian territories, stressing that these attacks constitute a flagrant violation of human rights and international covenants, and require the international community to act effectively to stop these repeated attacks against the Palestinian people. The State of Qatar renews its condemnation and rejection of the Israeli occupation authorities' announcement of new settlement plans in the West Bank, and considers it a flagrant violation of international law and resolutions of international legitimacy, and a blatant attack on the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, HE Al Muraikhi continued, stressing that attempts to impose reality do not change the facts. HE stressed that the Israeli settlement plans constitute a serious obstacle to the two-state solution, and called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and take the necessary measures to implement Security Council resolutions and compel the Israeli occupation to stop its settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territories. HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs emphasized that the State of Qatar will continue its efforts to provide various forms of material and political support to the brotherly Palestinian people, and will continue work with all international actors in the Middle East peace process to overcome the difficulties facing the resumption of peace negotiations, in accordance with the references and resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative. He called the Palestinian people to give priority to the supreme interest over any other accounts, to achieve national reconciliation, and to adhere to the option of unity as the best way in its struggle against the occupier. HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi said that the State of Qatar reiterates its firm position of full support for the sisterly State of Libya, its sovereignty, independence, unity and safety of its citizens, and calls on all Libyan parties to assume national responsibility and put the interest of Libya and its brotherly people above any consideration. HE reiterated the support for the political process in the State of Libya, and the speedy conduct of national elections and ending the long-term transitional stages in order to enable the country to achieve the desired stability and ensure its full sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the security and safety of its citizens. On brotherly Yemen, HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said that the State of Qatar reaffirms the importance of preserving Yemen's unity, achieving its security and stability, ending the state of fighting and war, and adopting dialogue, political solution and national reconciliation as a basis for ending this crisis and implementing relevant Security Council resolutions, especially Resolution No. 221 of 2015. He pointed out Qatar's call on all Yemeni forces to immediately stop the military escalation and restore the outcomes of the comprehensive national dialogue in January 2014 agreed upon by the political forces and all segments of the Yemeni people, which included fair and just solutions to all issues over which the fighting is taking place, including the issue of the system of government, the structure of the federal state and the issue of the South. HE Al Muraikhi added that the State of Qatar reiterates its position, which condemns and denounces in the strongest terms the recent attacks that targeted civilian areas in the sisterly United Arab Emirates and led to deaths and injuries, as well as the attacks targeting the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; adding that the State of Qatar considers targeting civilian areas and vital facilities a terrorist act that contravenes all international norms and laws, and warns that the continuation of such actions would spread a state of instability in the region. On Syria, HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs underlined that the continuation of the tragedy of the Syrian people represents, without any doubt, a serious and increasingly tragic humanitarian catastrophe in light of the absence of a clear vision for its solution, and the continuation of the killing, destruction, displacement and the international disregard. The international community must work seriously to reach a political solution that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people for security, stability and a decent life, in accordance with the Geneva Declaration (1) of 2012 and Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2254 of 2015, in a manner that preserves Syrias territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, as well as establishing justice by holding the perpetrators of atrocities against civilians accountable, in accordance with the provisions of the international law, he continued. With regard to brotherly Sudan, HE Al Muraikhi said that the State of Qatar recognizes the difficult conditions that the brothers in Sudan are currently going through, and will spare no effort in providing all forms of support to the brotherly Sudanese people, so that they can overcome this stage and achieve the desired stability. HE added that the State of Qatar reiterates its support for brotherly Somalia, and will continue to provide aid and support various development projects in the fields of health, education, creating job opportunities for youth and strengthening security capabilities, and providing political support to ensure the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the country. He underlined that facing challenges, security threats, terrorism, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, drought, floods and others, requires restraint from all Somali parties and the continuation of the national dialogue in a way that contributes to creating the appropriate environment and providing the means to implement plans and programs, especially those related to the promotion and protection of human rights. In conclusion, HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi looked forward for the meeting to achieve the desired goals that serve the interests of Arab countries and peoples. (QNA)