Gulf leaders to meet in Mecca for urgent talks

Bahrain yesterday welcomed Saudi Arabia’s call to hold urgent meetings of the regional Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League to discuss escalating tensions in the region. The Kingdom “highly values this call from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud” to hold two emergency summits in Mecca on May 30, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement to the state news agency said.

The statement affirms Bahrain’s full support for all the steps taken by Saudi Arabia and appreciates “Riyadh’s steadfast solidarity and its strenuous efforts to preserve the security and stability of the region and to promote Arab interests.” The wise call by the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques “affirms the leading Saudi role in cementing joint Arab action,” the Ministry statement said. Bahrain added: “It valued the Saudi keenness on enhancing collective action to overcome the delicate conditions that the GCC region is going through consultation and coordination between the GCC and Arab countries”.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has called for holding two emergency summits, one for the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the other for the Arab leaders, in Makkah on May 30. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said King Salman had invited Gulf leaders and Arab states to discuss recent “aggressions and their consequences” in the region. Tensions have soared in the Gulf, with the United States deploying an aircraft carrier and bombers there over alleged threats from Iran.

Saudi foreign affairs minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country does not want to go to war with Iran, but was ready to defend its interests. Riyadh “does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it”. The United Arab Emirates “welcomed” Saudi Arabia’s invitation. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in a statement published on state news agency WAM said, “the call for high-level meetings is reflective of the Saudi leadership’s continued determination to establish peace and security in the region.”