Arab League Council Grateful to Qatar for Hosting Yemen Humanitarian Relief Conference

Arab League Council Grateful to Qatar for Hosting Yemen Humanitarian Relief Conference

Cairo/Information Office/ 08 September 2016/The Arab League Council, in a closing statement that followed its 146th session on Thursday at the level of foreign ministers, has expressed gratitude to Qatar for hosting a humanitarian relief conference for Yemen in The Arab ministers discussed the situation in Yemen and stressed support for the constitutional legitimacy of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, reaffirming that any negotiations should be based on the Gulf initiative, its executive mechanism and Security Council Resolution 2216. On Syria, the council expressed deep concern over the escalation of military actions across the country, which could lead to the failure of the arrangements aimed at ending hostilities that were agreed at the meetings of the International Syria Support Group. The ministers called on the Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities in preserving peace and security and take the necessary measures to implement Resolutions 2254 of 2015 and 2268 of 2016 on ending hostilities and ceasing fire across the country. As for Libya, the Arab League Council stressed its rejection of any military intervention in the country due to its severe consequences on the country and the whole region, reaffirming that any military action aimed at fighting terrorism should be carried out by the national reconciliation government in line with the U.N. Charter. The council condemned the hostile and inflammatory statements by Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, in which he attacked Saudi Arabia and its leadership. The council stressed that the Saudi government is the only authority in charge of organizing hajj issues, serving the pilgrims and ensuring their comfort and security so as to perform their rituals with ease and tranquility without any outside interference. The statement also deplored Iran's constant interference in Bahraini issues by supporting terrorism, training them and smuggling arms and explosives into the country as well as instigating sectarian conflicts and making statements that undermine Bahrain's security and stability. In addition, the council reiterated UAE's absolute sovereignty over the three islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb and stressed its support for any peaceful measures by UAE to reclaim its sovereignty over the occupied islands. Regarding Israel's nuclear abilities, the council asked the Arab group in Vienna to continue to monitor and evaluate future developments on the international arena in order to prepare an Arab consensual statement during the general assembly of the International Atomic Energy Agency and urged all Arab delegations to make national speeches during the discussion on Israel's nuclear abilities in order to point out the risks of that abilities on international security and safety. The council expressed full solidarity with Arab and world countries that suffer from terrorist groups, voicing condolences with the families of victims who died in terrorist operations.