The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Russia held the sixth ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue in Moscow today, with a focus on strengthening relations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated in remarks covered by the Russian news agency TASS: "Following today's meeting, a joint statement and a joint action plan for Russia and the GCC for the years 2023-2028 have been adopted, and these documents will be made available to the public." He emphasized the goal of "enhancing Russian-Gulf cooperation" and highlighted the importance of "maintaining the positive development of trade between Russia and Gulf countries."
Lavrov pointed out that the efforts of the United Nations, aimed at ensuring the execution of the "Russian side" of the grain export agreement via the Black Sea, "have not yet yielded results," and remarked: "These commendable efforts have not produced any outcome at all."
Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi remarked: "We seek to strengthen Gulf-Russian relations," noting the "importance of a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine."
The Secretary-General of the GCC, Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, stated that "the council member states affirm their support for efforts aimed at achieving security and resolving conflicts," adding: "The crisis between Russia and Ukraine has affected the entire world." He said: "The council member states are keen on enhancing all forms of cooperation with Russia."
Today's meeting in Moscow represents the sixth round of strategic dialogue between Russia and the GCC at the level of foreign ministers. This dialogue aims to reinforce the relationship between the Gulf Arab states and the Russian Federation, covering a variety of international topics and regional cooperation issues.
In conclusion, the meeting emphasized the importance of supporting the global economy and stabilizing oil markets, addressing challenges and crises through dialogue while refraining from the use of force, rejecting terrorism in all its forms, and stressing the need to dry up its funding sources. It also highlighted the necessity of resuming the peace process to achieve a fair solution to the Palestinian issue and affirmed the integrity and sovereignty of Syrian territory.
