The GCC countries and Britain reiterated the importance of enhancing relations and dialogue to address regional challenges including the threat of terrorism.

Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa led Bahrain's delegation to the fourth GCC-UK Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue in Kuwait yesterday (October 14), said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

It was co-chaired by First Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and the current chairman of the GCC Ministerial Council Shaikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah and British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Philip Hammond.

GCC foreign ministers as well as secretary-general Abdullatif Al Zayani took part.

The meeting endorsed the GCC-UK joint action plan (2013-18), which provides a roadmap for political and security co-operation.

It also called for better co-ordination in trade and investment, energy and the environment, education and scientific research and culture and tourism.

Counter-terrorism, political and security challenges in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya, the Middle East peace process and the Iranian nuclear programme were also discussed.

A joint communique was issued at the end of the meeting in which the ministers condemned the "appalling crimes and atrocities" committed by terrorist groups in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere.

They emphasised the importance of implementing a UN Security Council resolution, which imposes sanctions on individuals with links to the Islamic State (IS) and other terrorist groups.

They also stressed the need to "degrade and ultimately defeat IS and other armed terrorist organisations", as well as counter terrorist financing and undermine their "twisted ideology" which exploits religion and distorts the teachings of Islam.

Welcomed

The ministers welcomed an international conference to be held in Bahrain in November.

The forum aims to discuss ways to ensure financial institutions and charitable organisations are not used to channel funds to terrorists, or to fund other illegal activities.

In the communique, the ministers expressed "deep concern over the failure of peaceful solutions to regional crises," which had created a "hospitable climate" for terrorism.

The GCC states and Britain welcomed the new Iraq government, and urged Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi to ensure solidarity among various components of society to defeat terrorism and protect minorities without discrimination.

The ministers reiterated their position that Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and his regime "have no legitimacy".

They reaffirmed commitment to the opposition Syrian National Coalition, and condemned the regime as continuing to commit "atrocities including murders, air strikes, shelling and the use of barrel bombs to terrorise civilian areas, following its previous criminal employment of chemical weapons".

The meeting stressed the need to "form a new government that reflects the aspirations of the Syrian people and advances national unity, pluralism and human rights for all".

The GCC countries also sought immediate and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to people in Syria, and called for enhanced support of refugees in neighbouring countries.

The ministers justified the decision of the US-led coalition to go ahead with air strikes on IS targets in Syria - which was welcomed by the incumbent Syrian regime.

The Egypt-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was welcomed.

The two sides were urged to continue talks for "a long lasting and sustainable framework that promotes economic growth, including reconstruction, crossing of products intended for civil use, humanitarian aid to citizens of Gaza, and avoidance of the use of violence and casualties among civilians."

The ministers expressed satisfaction on the outcome of the Gaza reconstruction conference held in Cairo two days ago, where international donors pledged to donate more than $5.4 billion. - TradeArabia News Service