Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KUWAIT55
2007-01-17 12:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuwait
how-toVZCZCXRO0049 PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHKU #0055/01 0171209 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 171209Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT TO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8058
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000055
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KU GCC
SUBJECT: GCC +2 STATEMENT
Secretary Rice met with GCC Foreign Ministers and the Foreign
SIPDIS
Ministers of Egypt and Jordan on January 16 in Kuwait City.
Upon conclusion of the meeting, the following statement was
issued:
BEGIN TEXT OF STATEMENT
Motivated by their shared vision of a stable, peaceful and
prosperous Middle East, and acting within a framework of
partnership consistent with the principle of international
law and the Charter of the United Nations, the foreign
ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),Egypt,
Jordan and the United States, with the participation of the
Secretary-General of the GCC, met today in Kuwait City to
SIPDIS
affirm their commitment to continue their cooperation to
promote regional security and peace.
The participants affirmed the value of these meetings as a
means to consult and exchange views and to consider common
approaches to key issues of the day.
Agreeing that the peace and security of the Middle East
including the Gulf region are critical to the health of the
global economy and international stability, and its
destabilization would threaten the vital national interests
of all, the participants resolve to continue their
long-standing cooperation against such threats. The
participants affirmed that disputes among states should be
settled peacefully and in accordance with international
norms, and that relations among all countries should be based
on mutual respect for the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of all states, and on the principle of
noninterference in the internal affairs of other nations.
The participants reiterated their condemnation of terrorism
in all its forms and manifestations, and reaffirmed the
February 2005 Riyadh Declaration, which calls for "fostering
the values of understanding, tolerance, dialogue,
coexistence, pluralism and the rapprochement between
cultures...(and) for fighting any form of ideology that
promotes hatred, incites violence, and condones terrorist
crimes, which can by no means be accepted by any religion or
law."
The participants agreed on the following principles on Iraq:
that a stable, prosperous, and unified Iraq, based on respect
for Iraq's territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty is in
the interest of all countries; that efforts to achieve
national reconciliation that encompasses all elements of
Iraqi society without excluding any group should be strongly
supported; that sectarian violence aimed at undermining the
ability of the Iraqi people to live in peace and security
should be condemned; and that all militia should be disarmed
and dismantled. In this vein, the participants expressed
their collective desire to prevent Iraq from becoming a
battleground for regional and international powers and urged
all to help end sectarian violence in Iraq. The ministers
expressed the hope that the Iraqi government will actively
engage all components of the Iraqi people in a real political
process and act in a manner that ensures inclusiveness and
paves the way for the success of national reconciliation. The
participants consider that pursuing these objectives is the
responsibility of the Iraqi government and called for
amending the constitution accordingly, and expressed their
readiness to support its efforts in this regard. The
participants welcomed the commitment by the United States as
stated in President Bush's recent speech to defend the
security of the Gulf, the territorial integrity of Iraq, and
to ensure a successful, fair and inclusive political process
that engages all Iraqi communities and guarantees the
stability of the country.
The participants agreed that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
remains a central and core problem and that without resolving
this conflict the region will not enjoy sustained peace and
stability. The participants affirmed their commitment to
achieving peace in the Middle East through a two-state
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and noted that
the foundation for such an outcome includes the Arab Peace
Initiative, UN Security Council resolutions 242, 338, 1397,
and 1515, and the Road Map. The participants called on the
parties to abide by and implement previous agreements and
obligations, including the Agreement on Movement and Access
and to seek to fulfill their obligations under the Sharm
el-Sheikh Understandings of 2005. The participants expressed
their hope that the December 2006 meeting between the
Palestinian President and the Israeli Prime Minister will be
followed by concrete steps in this direction. The
participants welcomed the resumption of the
Palestinian-Isreali dialogue, and hope that it will lead to a
full resumption of negotiations aiming at reaching a
comprehensive peace agreement between them as a step towards
KUWAIT 00000055 002 OF 002
achieving comprehensive peace in the Middle East. The
participants affirmed their commitment to support development
of the Palestinian economy, building and strengthening the
institutions of the Palestinian state.
Recognizing the importance of a sovereign, democratic, and
prosperous Lebanon, the participants pledged their political
and financial support to Lebanon, and underscored their
commitment to full implementation of UN Security Council
resolutions 1559, 1680 and 1701. They called for the respect
of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political
independence of Lebanon and for the non-interference in its
internal affairs. The participants look forward to a
successful Paris III meeting, which will support Lebanon's
long term development and fiscal stabilization. Finally, the
participants strongly condemned all terrorist attacks in
Lebanon since October 2004, including the assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and most recently of
Minister Pierre Gemayel, and affirm that all those involved
in these attacks must be held accountable.
Kuwait, 16 January 2007
END TEXT OF STATEMENT
********************************************
For more Embassy Kuwait reporting, see:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s
Or Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
********************************************
LeBaron
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KU GCC
SUBJECT: GCC +2 STATEMENT
Secretary Rice met with GCC Foreign Ministers and the Foreign
SIPDIS
Ministers of Egypt and Jordan on January 16 in Kuwait City.
Upon conclusion of the meeting, the following statement was
issued:
BEGIN TEXT OF STATEMENT
Motivated by their shared vision of a stable, peaceful and
prosperous Middle East, and acting within a framework of
partnership consistent with the principle of international
law and the Charter of the United Nations, the foreign
ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),Egypt,
Jordan and the United States, with the participation of the
Secretary-General of the GCC, met today in Kuwait City to
SIPDIS
affirm their commitment to continue their cooperation to
promote regional security and peace.
The participants affirmed the value of these meetings as a
means to consult and exchange views and to consider common
approaches to key issues of the day.
Agreeing that the peace and security of the Middle East
including the Gulf region are critical to the health of the
global economy and international stability, and its
destabilization would threaten the vital national interests
of all, the participants resolve to continue their
long-standing cooperation against such threats. The
participants affirmed that disputes among states should be
settled peacefully and in accordance with international
norms, and that relations among all countries should be based
on mutual respect for the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of all states, and on the principle of
noninterference in the internal affairs of other nations.
The participants reiterated their condemnation of terrorism
in all its forms and manifestations, and reaffirmed the
February 2005 Riyadh Declaration, which calls for "fostering
the values of understanding, tolerance, dialogue,
coexistence, pluralism and the rapprochement between
cultures...(and) for fighting any form of ideology that
promotes hatred, incites violence, and condones terrorist
crimes, which can by no means be accepted by any religion or
law."
The participants agreed on the following principles on Iraq:
that a stable, prosperous, and unified Iraq, based on respect
for Iraq's territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty is in
the interest of all countries; that efforts to achieve
national reconciliation that encompasses all elements of
Iraqi society without excluding any group should be strongly
supported; that sectarian violence aimed at undermining the
ability of the Iraqi people to live in peace and security
should be condemned; and that all militia should be disarmed
and dismantled. In this vein, the participants expressed
their collective desire to prevent Iraq from becoming a
battleground for regional and international powers and urged
all to help end sectarian violence in Iraq. The ministers
expressed the hope that the Iraqi government will actively
engage all components of the Iraqi people in a real political
process and act in a manner that ensures inclusiveness and
paves the way for the success of national reconciliation. The
participants consider that pursuing these objectives is the
responsibility of the Iraqi government and called for
amending the constitution accordingly, and expressed their
readiness to support its efforts in this regard. The
participants welcomed the commitment by the United States as
stated in President Bush's recent speech to defend the
security of the Gulf, the territorial integrity of Iraq, and
to ensure a successful, fair and inclusive political process
that engages all Iraqi communities and guarantees the
stability of the country.
The participants agreed that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
remains a central and core problem and that without resolving
this conflict the region will not enjoy sustained peace and
stability. The participants affirmed their commitment to
achieving peace in the Middle East through a two-state
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and noted that
the foundation for such an outcome includes the Arab Peace
Initiative, UN Security Council resolutions 242, 338, 1397,
and 1515, and the Road Map. The participants called on the
parties to abide by and implement previous agreements and
obligations, including the Agreement on Movement and Access
and to seek to fulfill their obligations under the Sharm
el-Sheikh Understandings of 2005. The participants expressed
their hope that the December 2006 meeting between the
Palestinian President and the Israeli Prime Minister will be
followed by concrete steps in this direction. The
participants welcomed the resumption of the
Palestinian-Isreali dialogue, and hope that it will lead to a
full resumption of negotiations aiming at reaching a
comprehensive peace agreement between them as a step towards
KUWAIT 00000055 002 OF 002
achieving comprehensive peace in the Middle East. The
participants affirmed their commitment to support development
of the Palestinian economy, building and strengthening the
institutions of the Palestinian state.
Recognizing the importance of a sovereign, democratic, and
prosperous Lebanon, the participants pledged their political
and financial support to Lebanon, and underscored their
commitment to full implementation of UN Security Council
resolutions 1559, 1680 and 1701. They called for the respect
of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political
independence of Lebanon and for the non-interference in its
internal affairs. The participants look forward to a
successful Paris III meeting, which will support Lebanon's
long term development and fiscal stabilization. Finally, the
participants strongly condemned all terrorist attacks in
Lebanon since October 2004, including the assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and most recently of
Minister Pierre Gemayel, and affirm that all those involved
in these attacks must be held accountable.
Kuwait, 16 January 2007
END TEXT OF STATEMENT
********************************************
For more Embassy Kuwait reporting, see:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s
Or Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
********************************************
LeBaron