BRUSSELS: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has headed the State of Qatar’s delegation to the opening session of the first summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union, which was held this afternoon at the Europa Building, the headquarters of the Union in the capital, Brussels, in the friendly Kingdom of Belgium, in the presence of a number of Their Excellencies, Highnesses and Excellencies, heads of state and government, delegations and representatives of regional and international organizations .
His Highness the Amir delivered a speech on this occasion, the text of which is as follows:
In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful
Your Highnesses, Excellencies,distinguishedguests,may the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.
First of all, I would like to greet you and thank His Excellency Mr Jassim Al Budaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and His Excellency Mr Charles Michel, President of the European Council, for their tireless efforts in organizing this summit.
This first Gulf-European summit is being held under the presidency of the State of Qatar of the current session of the Gulf Cooperation Council. There is no doubt that this summit is the culmination of tireless work over the past years and reflects the mutual interest and keenness of the Gulf and European sides to enhance cooperation, dialogue and coordination between them collectively, and to support the channels of communication already existing at the bilateral level between the countries on the Gulf and European sides.
The Arab Gulf States and the European Union countries have been linked by strong historical ties and relations, the strength of which has been based over the decades on considerations of mutual interests and agreement on principles such as respect for international law, consolidation of international peace and security, respect for the sovereignty of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and achieving prosperity for all.
We appreciate here the European Union’s adoption of the joint document for strategic partnership with the Gulf countries in 2022 and the appointment of a special representative for the Gulf region. We in the GCC countries are keen to strengthen Gulf-European relations in various fields by coordinating efforts on regional and international issues, stimulating trade cooperation and investments, and exchanging expertise in the field of research and innovation, combating climate change, preserving the environment, and economic diversification.
On the economic level, we are certain that the future of our Gulf-European cooperation is promising, as the volume of trade exchange between our countries reached $204.3 billion in 2022, equivalent to 13.2 percentof the total volume of trade exchange of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) of these countries in the EU countries has increased significantly over the past decade, reaching $177.8 billion in 2022, and the volume of FDI of the European Union in the GCC countries has increased significantly since 2017, reaching $233.6 billion in 2022. I call here to strengthen and deepen this cooperation through existing mechanisms, and to establish new ones, if necessary, in line with the promising prospects for cooperation between the Gulf and European countries.
Dear guests,
We are all aware of the magnitude of the security, political and economic dangers and challenges facing the world, especially the Middle East and the European continent, in light of the ongoing war in Gaza and Lebanon and the war between Russia and Ukraine.
In light of the polarization of the international system, the importance of strengthening relations between the Gulf and European sides is increasing. We hope that this will contribute to the effectiveness of the international system in promoting the principles of justice and international legitimacy, away from the policies of double standards and double standards that undermine the collective security system agreed upon by the international community since World War II, and have become a threat to stability, security and world peace.
In this context, we appreciate the prominent role played by the European Union in maintaining global peace and security, its effective contribution to reaching peaceful solutions to existing international crises, and its efforts to drive the global economy and encourage development efforts in various countries of the world.
Dear guests,
Middle Eastern issues are important for Europe, just as European issues are of particular importance for our countries. The two regions are in direct geographical contact and have had unbroken political, economic and cultural contacts throughout history.
The devastating war that Israel has waged - and continues to wage - on the Palestinian territories and on Lebanon, in which the commission of war crimes has become a horrific routine in the absence of any international accountability, confirms the urgent need to find a comprehensive settlement to the conflict based on a just solution to the Palestinian issue, based on international legitimacy resolutions, including complete withdrawal from the Arab territories occupied in 1967 and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital alongside the State of Israel.
We call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, and an end to the provocations of the settlers supported by the army in the occupied West Bank. In this context, we in the State of Qatar affirm our continued mediation efforts with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America to reach a ceasefire. We in Qatar believe that a ceasefire should constitute a prelude to serious negotiations leading to a comprehensive, just and sustainable solution to the Palestinian issue in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
We appreciate the role of those European countries that have taken a position on the crimes committed by Israel against civilians, and support the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state. We look forward to a greater European role in strengthening the international consensus on the two-state solution, and moving it from words to action, through a reliable and irreversible path to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.
In this regard, we appreciate the role of the countries that recognized the Palestinian state and urge the rest of the countries to recognize it.
Regarding the Lebanese issue, we renew our rejection and condemnation of the ongoing Israeli aggression against the sisterly Lebanese Republic, which has claimed the lives of thousands of innocent civilians and has reached the level of blatant attacks on the UNIFIL peacekeeping forces, in a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law. We call on the international community to work seriously to cease fire and implement Security Council Resolution 1701.
This is what the Lebanese government clearly supports and is committed to implementing.
Regarding the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, we emphasize the position of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which is based on the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, which enshrines respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and non-use or threat of force. The Cooperation Council also supports all mediation efforts, initiatives and good offices to reach a political solution to this crisis.
We understand the European concern about the waves of illegal immigration to Europe, and we have the desire to cooperate to confront it. At the same time, we see that the basic principle is for us all to cooperate and invest in confronting the major disasters that lead to displacement and waves of illegal immigration, such as civil wars, genocide, and poverty.
Finally, we hope that this summit will be a turning point in the historical relations between the Gulf and European sides, which will enhance security and political and economic stability for both sides.
I reiterate my thanks to everyone who contributed to the preparations for this summit, hoping that it will achieve the desired goals for the benefit of our peoples and humanity as a whole.
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.
The opening session was attended by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, , and a number of Their Excellencies members of the official delegation accompanying His Highness the Amir.
