“After sixty-six years of the Palestinian people’s suffering and the resulting Arab-Israeli conflict and its repercussions, we are yet to make any substantial breakthrough toward reaching a historic and lasting solution,” Shaikh Khalid, in his opening remarks, at the opening of the 23rd GCC-EU Ministerial meeting told the foreign ministers of the GCC and 28 members of EU.
Croatia, the latest entry to the EU, also attended the meeting as the 28th member to the EU starting from July 1st, 2013 (Monday).
“This is high time to stop the land stealing of Israel otherwise there will be no long lasting peace in the Middle East,” he said.
“We are gravely concerned at the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people, through the denial of their rights, the adoption of repressive measures, and the policy of settlement expansion, as well as the refusal of Israel to establish a Palestinian state with full sovereignty on Palestinian national soil with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Shaikh Khalid explained.
“Hence, I and on behalf of my colleagues the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council, call for serious efforts and genuine GCC-EU cooperation to move forward the process of achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, in line with international conventions and texts, United Nations resolutions on the Palestinian cause, and the Arab Peace Initiative proposed over a decade ago, an initiative which underlines the Arab desire for lasting peace in the Middle East,” he added.