The 7th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-Russia Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue was held Monday in Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh.
The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, headed the Russian delegation, reported the Russian news agency TASS. Lavrov discussed a range of topics including regional security, crises settlement and global economy, in addition to holding several bilateral meetings.
GCC-Russia Ministerial Meeting
On Monday, the GCC-Russia Joint Ministerial Meeting for the Strategic Dialogue kicked off in Riyadh, with the participation of the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
The session was chaired by the Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani; with the attendance of the GCC Secretary-General, Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi; GCC countries Foreign Ministers; and the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.
The joint ministerial meeting explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the GCC countries and Russia. The participants discussed the latest global and regional developments, including the war in Ukraine and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Gaza War
During his speech, Prince Faisal bin Farhan called for solutions to stop the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. He highlighted the urgency of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and activating the two-state solution. The Saudi Foreign Minister underscored the need to end the war in Gaza.
Similarly, the Russian Foreign Minister, Lavrov, underlined the urgency of solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict by establishing a Palestinian state, warning that the Middle East is on the verge of a major regional war, reported RT.
He added that the situation in the region has sharply deteriorated as a result of “the inability of the international community to stop the hostilities in the Gaza Strip and the mass deaths of its residents.” Lavrov noted that Russia is working with all sides to “normalize the situation.”
On his part, the Qatari Foreign Minister praised the Russian efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, saying: “We count on our regional and international partners to practice all forms of pressure to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.”
GCC-Russia Relations
During the meeting, the GCC Secretary-General said that the GCC countries prioritize cooperation with Russia, in the light of the historical relations and strategic ties between both sides.
He pointed that the GCC and Russia are working to accelerate the implementation of the joint action plan (2023-2027) agreed upon in the previous Ministerial Meeting in Moscow, in July 2023.
Al-Budaiwi added that the GCC-Russia Strategic Dialogue is a permanent platform to exchange views on issues of mutual concern, including threats to regional and international security, in addition to exploring ways to strengthen cooperation across various fields.
Lavrov in Riyadh
Prior to the Ministerial Meeting, Lavrov met with the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on Monday at the General Secretariat of the GCC in Riyadh, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Both official explored bilateral relations and ways to enhance joint cooperation. They also discussed the latest regional and international developments, as well as efforts made towards them.
The Russian Foreign Minister also held a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting. He discussed international coordination on the hydrocarbon market, the implementation of joint projects, the expansion of trade and investment cooperation and nuclear energy.
GCC Ministerial Meetings
The GCC-Russia Ministerial Meeting was held on the sidelines of the 161st Ministerial Council meeting of the GCC, which brings together the GCC ministers of foreign affairs. Beside Russia, the GCC is also holding separate bilateral Ministerial Meetings with India and Brazil.
In a press release on Sunday, the GCC Secretary-General, Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, said that the meetings with Russia, India and Brazil underscore the GCC countries’ commitment to exploring new prospects for cooperation and strengthening strategic relations with countries worldwide.
Moreover, he said that the Ministerial Council Meeting will discuss the progress made in implementing the decisions taken by the GCC Supreme Council during the 44th Summit held in Doha in December 2023. In addition, the Council will review reports submitted by the ministerial and technical committees and the General Secretariat.
It will also discuss topics related to dialogue and strategic relations between the GCC countries and other countries and global blocs, as well as the latest regional and international developments.
