US-GCC Summit Bolsters Ties, Confirms Commitment against All Threats

At the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, heads of State and Governments of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members and the United States convened Thursday in Riyadh, as a step to reaffirm the GCC-US strategic partnership in pursuit of a stable, secure and prosperous region.

After meeting heads of Gulf States, U.S. President Barack Obama wrapped up his two-day and final visit –before he leaves office- to the Kingdom, before taking off to London.

The leaders discussed the importance of stabilizing the region and addressing the most pressing conflicts. They also reiterated the decisions reached at the Camp David summit, which was held last May in Washington D.C., underscoring the need to solidify gains.

Obama concluded the meeting while confirming the United States’ commitment to deter and confront aggression against Gulf Arab monarchies, especially with Iran’s threats prevailing in the region.

Obama came to Saudi Arabia hoping to relieve Gulf States’ fears over Iranian influence and encourage them to douse sectarian tensions in an effort to confront the threat posed by jihadist militants like ISIS.

“I reaffirmed the policy of the United States to use all elements of our power to secure our core interests in the Gulf region and to deter and confront external aggression against our allies and our partners,” he said in Riyadh on Thursday after the summit with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

“Even with the nuclear deal we recognize collectively that we continue to have serious concerns about Iranian behavior,” he said.

There was no denying the strains that have afflicted ties between Washington and its Gulf partners, though, even as they have worked together on shared concerns such as the wars in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, however.

The summit also tackled regional issues, namely the situation in Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen and Libya. The leaders expressed solidarity with the Syrian people, and underscored the need of sticking to the ceasefire and ensuring humanitarian access to besieged areas. They also reaffirmed the need of a political transition that excludes Bashar Assad and preserves state institutions.

As for the situation in Iraq, the leaders hailed the progress achieved in ridding of sectarian tensions and endorsing reconciliation among all Iraqis. The leaders vowed to ramp up the fight against ISIL (another acronym for ISIS) and to maximize efforts aiming at ensuring stability to areas freed from the terrorist organization.

Deliberating on Yemen, the leaders welcomed the cessation of hostilities, calling on all parties to abide by it and attend the peace talks held in Kuwait. The leaders also expressed continued support for U.N. envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed’s work, pushing for durable, inclusive political settlemnent of the conflict.

The GCC and the United States also accentuated the importance of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a just peace agreement that guarantees the sovereignty of two states living side by side.

During the summit, GCC leaders expressed their desire to open an office in Washington to advance cooperation; a step that the U.S. welcomed, stressing the crucial importance of an enduring GCC-U.S. partnership in order to promote peace, stability and security in the region.

US-GCC Summit Bolsters Ties, Confirms Commitment against All Threats