Kuwait's Ambassador to Indonesia stresses the gravity of Iran's despicable attacks on GCC countries - Sarmad
(KUNA) – Kuwait’s Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Khaled Al-Yassin, emphasized the grave danger posed by Iran’s despicable attacks on Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which targeted vital civilian infrastructure. He stated that such actions contradict the principles of international law and the UN Charter, including Security Council Resolution 2817.
This was stated in a press release issued by the Kuwaiti Embassy on Saturday, quoting Ambassador Al-Yassin’s remarks during the third meeting of GCC ambassadors to ASEAN and the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN, held on Friday at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The meeting was co-chaired by Bahrain’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Ahmed Al-Hajjar, and Singapore’s Ambassador to ASEAN, Gerard Ho.
The statement noted that Ambassador Al-Yassin called for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of GCC states, as well as safeguarding freedom of navigation and safe passage through international waterways, thereby ensuring the stability of global trade and the international economy.
For his part, the Singaporean ambassador expressed his country’s solidarity and sympathy with the GCC states, affirming that Singapore calls for an end to hostilities, respect for international law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
The meeting, in a joint statement, underscored both sides’ commitment to strengthening the partnership between the GCC and ASEAN, highlighting the complementary nature of this partnership in priority sectors to serve the mutual interests of both parties.
The statement emphasized the importance of enhancing bilateral cooperation and expanding economic, security, and technical collaboration, noting that the meeting reviewed progress in implementing the ASEAN-GCC Cooperation Framework for the period 2024–2028.
It added that the meeting discussed preparations for the upcoming meeting of foreign ministers of ASEAN and the GCC, scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in September, as well as preparations for the third ASEAN-GCC Summit planned for 2027.
The statement clarified that both sides welcomed progress in cooperation between the ASEAN National Police Chiefs Council (ASEANAPOL) and the GCC Police, including mutual participation in key events and the completion of a joint action plan.
In this context, both sides stressed the importance of enhancing coordination in combating terrorism, transnational crime, and cyber threats, thereby supporting security cooperation between GCC and Southeast Asian countries.
ASEAN invited the GCC to support the implementation of ASEAN’s vision for the Indian Ocean-Pacific region and the “ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future” plan, alongside the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan, the Smart Cities Network, sustainable development initiatives, and the fifth action plan for the ASEAN Integration Initiative.
The meeting also emphasized the importance of strengthening public-private partnerships and business ties, and broadening people-to-people contacts through youth and student exchange programs, media, artists, and scholarships, contributing to tangible benefits for the peoples of the GCC and ASEAN countries.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded on August 8, 1967, in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, and currently comprises 11 member states: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste.
