In a GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) summit on Thursday, Gulf Arab leaders called for a Yemen reconstruction conference to help Yemeni parties end their confrontations via political solutions, and develop practical programs to rehabilitate Yemeni economy.
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Saudi Arabia, an overwhelmingly Sunni kingdom, initially promised a quick military operation aimed at reinstalling Yemen’s “legitimate” government.
Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters Thursday that Iran had a negative influence on “most regional issues”.
Leaders from Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and a senior Omani royal took part in the summit led by Saudi King Salman, which was held in his Diraya palace.
Summit seeks political solution in Syria, calls for Yemen aid conference..
He stated he’d met his Iranian counterpart for less than “a few minutes” at the sidelines of a Vienna meeting last month to debate ways to complete the war in Syria.Saudi Arabia & Iran are backing opposite sides of the almost 5 yr conflict.
“The lack of investigations by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, and those who provide them with arms and other support, into a growing list of suspected unlawful attacks suggests a chilling apathy for the devastating consequences this war has wrought on civilians in Yemen”, said Lama Fakih.
Monzer Akbik of the National Coalition, speaking from Dubai where he was in contact with delegates in Saudi Arabia, said the group would be made up of 25 members, including six from the coalition in exile, six from rebel factions, five from a Damascus-based opposition group and eight independent figures.
The almost five-year civil war in Syria has killed more than a quarter of a million people and triggered a refugee crisis of massive proportions.
The GCC leaders stressed the necessity of doubling efforts to promote the true image of Islam and its values which advocate moderation, tolerance and peace.
Saudi Arabia, a strong supporter of the rebels fighting for more than four years to topple President Bashar al-Assad, is hosting the opposition this week in the most ambitious attempt yet to find an agreed platform ahead of planned worldwide peace talks in NY.
Pressure for peace is also building in Yemen.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit also comes days before warring factions from Yemen are to gather in Switzerland in an effort to end a costly war that has drawn in Gulf nations. Oman is the only GCC state not part of the coalition in Yemen but has mediated and provided a neutral venue for talks.
Crude prices have more than halved since early previous year.
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“We have to enhance the joint cooperation in the political, economic and security fields for safeguarding our interests”, he said while calling on the global community to double its efforts in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
