State Foreign Affairs Minister attends Cairo meetings

Cairo, Nov. 29. (BNA) -- Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ghanim bin Fadhul Al Buainain took part in the meetings of the Arab Peace Initiative Committee and the Arab League Council at the Ministerial Level in its extraordinary session to discuss the Palestinian issue. The two meetings were held today at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo and attended by the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said that His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People, and in a message sent to Fode Seck, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, had stressed the responsibility of the international community towards the Palestinian cause and the deep concern of the Kingdom of Bahrain government and people towards the human suffering to which Palestinians are subjected to. He affirmed the supportive stances of the Kingdom of Bahrain towards the Palestinian issue and its rejection of all violations, violence and tension witnessed in East Jerusalem and the West Bank in the past few weeks due to the continued Israeli expansionist policy in Palestinian lands. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs added that Just and comprehensive peace will not be achieved without the establishment of a sovereign and an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. He expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Arab Republic of Egypt for its efforts in this regard as well as several European countries for recognizing the State of Palestine, adding that it is the beginning of the path towards the establishment of a Palestinian state. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs concluded by affirming that the Kingdom of Bahrain supports the determination of the Palestinian President to approach the Security Council in order to get a resolution that recognizes the lands occupied in 1967 as the territory of the Palestinian State as well as to determine the specific timetable to end the occupation. The two meetings featured presentations by the Palestinian Preside on the latest development in the Palestinian scene, who affirmed the commitment of his country to obtain all their legitimate rights, particularly with regard to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and for Palestine to receive a membership in the United Nations and the relevant agencies and organizations. The Arab League Council issued the following resolutions: Presenting a draft resolution to the Security Council to formally end the occupation and continue consultations on this matter with member states of the council as well as regional, continental and international groups. Affirmed the Arab Peace Initiative, put forward by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and endorsed by the Arab summit in Beirut in 2002, is still the best solution to resolve the Palestinian issue. Mandating an Arab ministerial delegation, headed by Kuwait (chairman of the summit and the Arab Peace Initiative Committee), Mauritania, the current chairman of the League’s Council at the ministerial level, Jordan, the Arab member of the Security Council, Palestine and the Secretary General of the Arab League to carry out the necessary contacts and visits to mobilize international support for the Arab draft resolution before the Security Council. Supporting the bid by the State of Palestine to join institutions, international conventions, treaties and protocols, including the International Criminal Court. Continuing joint Arab action to ensure international recognition of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital based on the 1967 borders. Absolute and categorical refusal to recognise Israel as a Jewish state. Refusing and condemning all attempts by Israel to divide the Al Aqsa Mosque and impose its control.