Foreign Minister chairs opening session of preparatory meeting for 34th Arab Summit
Baghdad, May 15 (BNA): Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, chaired today in Baghdad the opening session of the preparatory meeting for the 34th Ordinary Session of the Arab Summit, hosted by the Republic of Iraq on May 17.
In his remarks, the Minister expressed appreciation for the generous hospitality, and the preparations made to host the Baghdad Summit. He also thanked His Excellency Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the Arab League, and his team at the General Secretariat, for their constructive cooperation and the support provided to the Kingdom of Bahrain during its presidency of the 33rd session of the Arab Summit, as well as for their efforts in preparing for the current session.
Dr. Al Zayani emphasised that the Kingdom of Bahrain was honoured to host the 33rd Arab Summit, chaired by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, held amidst challenging circumstances and delicate political and security conditions that required a unified Arab stance and a clear vision to safeguard Arab national security and protect common interests.
He noted that the Bahrain Summit carried a message of peace and Arab solidarity. It called for an immediate end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the release of hostages and detainees, an end to the humanitarian suffering, and the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
The summit underscored the centrality of the Palestinian cause, rejected the displacement of Palestinians from their land, and emphasised the need to safeguard their legitimate rights as guaranteed by international law and relevant resolutions, the Minister added.
The Minister noted that the Bahrain Summit adopted key resolutions aimed at strengthening Arab cooperation, integration, and solidarity. These included initiatives to convene an international conference to resolve the Palestinian cause, support the recognition of the independent State of Palestine and its admission to the United Nations, and uphold the humanitarian rights of those affected by regional conflicts, including their rights to life, health, education, and knowledge.
He stressed that the Kingdom of Bahrain remained committed to following up on the coordination and implementation of these resolutions, with the goal of enhancing Arab cooperation across all domains, bolstering joint coordination to confront regional and international challenges, and laying the foundations for lasting peace, growth, and prosperity for the benefit of all peoples of the region.
The Minister further noted that the Kingdom of Bahrain had engaged with globally influential countries to convey the Arab position and to mobilise international support.
Dr. Al Zayani emphasised that the Kingdom chaired the meetings of the Arab Ministerial Committee in support of the State of Palestine, participated in the efforts of the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee, and announced its accession to the international coalition for the two-state solution led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It also took part in co-chairing the Palestine Summit hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt, during which the Egyptian plan for early recovery and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip was adopted.
Dr. Al Zayani underscored Bahrain’s commitment to following up on the implementation of the initiatives it had submitted to the summit, noting that royal directives were issued to form a specialised national committee to oversee the implementation of these initiatives in cooperation and coordination with the General Secretariat of the Arab League and relevant international organisations.
Dr. Al Zayani said that a comprehensive report detailing the Kingdom’s efforts to implement the initiatives has been prepared and presented to the esteemed Ministerial Council for endorsement and submission to Their Majesties, Excellencies, and Highnesses, the leaders.
Following his remarks, Dr. Al Zayani handed over the presidency of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level to Dr. Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq, wishing him success in managing the preparatory meeting for the 34th Arab Summit and expressing his hope that the summit would yield constructive resolutions to advance joint Arab action and fulfil the shared aspirations and goals for the benefit of the Arab nation.
