Bahrain FM attends 4th Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue

Moscow : The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, participated in the 4th Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Russia, in Moscow yesterday.

The meeting discussed ties between the two sides and reviewed ways and mechanisms to strengthen consultation and coordination on regional issues, particularly terrorism and developments in both Syria and Iraq and the Iranian interference in the region.

The meeting issued a joint statement where the Ministers stressed the need for Iran’s commitment to the principles of good neighbourliness and non-interference in internal affairs of other countries. It also stressed on the need to respect States’ territorial integrity and not use or threat to use force in accordance with international law and the UN Charter.

The Ministers stressed the need for all parties to commit to the agreement reached between Iran and the (P5 + 1) in July 2015, regarding Iran’s nuclear programme and the importance of making the Middle East a zone free of weapons of mass destruction.

The Ministers also welcomed the formation of the Islamic coalition against terrorism and cooperation between and the US against Daash.

On the Syrian situation, the Foreign Ministers renewed their fixed positions on the importance of preserving Syria’s unity and territorial integrity and the importance of the full implementation of Security Council resolution 2254, to allow immediate access of humanitarian aid to the besieged areas.

Regarding the Yemen issue, the Ministers expressed their continued support for the UN envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed’s efforts. They stressed the importance of progress in the ongoing Kuwait talks, urging all parties to take the necessary decisions to achieve a lasting political settlement of the conflict, according to UN Security Council No. 2216 (2015), the Gulf initiative, and the comprehensive national dialogue outcomes.

On Iraq, the two sides encouraged further progress in Iraq towards solving sectarian tensions, emphasizing the importance of Iraq’s unity and rejecting outside interference in its affairs.

With regard to cooperation between the GCC countries and Russia, the Ministers stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation between the two sides on the political and economic levels. 

The 5th Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue between the (GCC) and the Russian Federation will be held in Bahrain in 2017.