New York, September (پاکستان پوائنٹ نیوز 24 سبتمبر 2025ء) These remarks came during Albudaiwi's speech at the joint ministerial meeting between the GCC and France, held on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The meeting was co-chaired by Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the current session Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, with the participation of the foreign ministers of the GCC member states.
During his speech, Albudaiwi stated that the historic meeting in Riyadh in 2015, which brought together the leaders of the GCC states with the former President of the French Republic, constituted a starting point for the strategic partnership between the two sides.
"This partnership established close cooperation in various fields of common interest. The General Secretariat, in coordination with the member states and the French Republic, has continued this cooperation, and a draft joint action plan has been prepared. This plan covers political, security, economic, cultural, education, energy, and other fields of mutual interest. The GCC looks forward with great interest to finalizing the plan's draft for its adoption as soon as possible, to serve as a practical framework for expanding the partnership between the two sides," he said.
He also noted, "Our meeting today is being held amidst dangerous regional and international conditions, which highlight the urgent need to enhance dialogue, consultation, and cooperation with our partners, foremost among them the French Republic. This is necessary to confront common challenges and leverage available opportunities to contribute to achieving security, stability, and sustainable development for our regions and the world.
However, the continuous aggressions practiced by the Israeli occupation forces have affected several countries in the region, the latest of which was the brutal aggression against Qatar. This act is a blatant violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, a breach of international law and the UN Charter, a threat to the region's security and stability, and a direct undermining of the tireless efforts by Qatar and its partners—Egypt and the United States—to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and secure the release of hostages and detainees."
Moreover, he added, "The two emergency summits held in Doha following this aggression embodied the unified Gulf, Arab, and Islamic position in rejecting the aggression. The summits issued clear and decisive statements condemning the heinous criminal act carried out by the Israeli occupation forces. They also unanimously underscored the commitment of the participating nations to support Qatar in the face of the Israeli attack, holding Israel fully responsible for the consequences of its aggressive actions, and stressing the necessity of urgent international action to deter and hold it accountable."
Albudaiwi reiterated his assertion that the security of the GCC states is indivisible, and that any attack on a member state is an attack on all of them, based on the commitment to the principle of collective defense and the protection of the stability of "our nations and peoples, and the preservation of our sovereignty."
Additionally, he said that the continued Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, the crime of genocide committed by its forces against the population of the Gaza Strip, and the deliberate policy of siege that has led to famine in the Strip, require the international community to assume its responsibilities to stop these crimes.
"We would like to emphasize the necessity of reaching an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, releasing the hostages and detainees, protecting the civilian population, and facilitating the urgent and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid. We stress the importance of Security Council Resolution 2730, which addresses the protection of humanitarian workers and ensuring unhindered access for aid, and the importance of the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). We renew our firm commitment to supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to establish their independent state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and resolutions of international legitimacy," he added.
He also praised the role of France in its joint presidency with Saudi Arabia of the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which was held from July 28 to 30, 2025, at the UN headquarters.
This conference resulted in the issuance of the New York Declaration, which was adopted by a majority in the General Assembly on September 12, 2025. "This declaration has been a landmark in reaffirming that the establishment of a sovereign, independent Palestinian state is the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region," he pointed out.
He highly valued the historic decision of France to recognize the State of Palestine, which was announced on September 22, 2025, at the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. "This recognition is a new beacon of hope for the Palestinian people in their journey towards freedom and independence. France has proven, through its positions and decisions, that it is a serious partner working to achieve security and stability in the region," he noted.
Albudaiwi also underscored the council's firm position on the importance of adhering to the rules of the international order, the principles of good neighborliness, respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, refraining from the use or threat of force, and favoring peaceful solutions for conflict resolution.
"This ensures a secure and stable environment for our nations and peoples," he said, underlining the importance of maintaining maritime security and waterways, and confronting activities that threaten the security and stability of the region and the world, including the targeting of commercial vessels and threatening maritime shipping lanes and international trade.
The secretary-general concluded his speech by affirming, "Our partnership with the French Republic is a strategic necessity and a fundamental pillar in the orientations of the GCC. I am certain that our meeting today will be an important milestone in the journey of this relationship, strengthening it towards broader horizons of cooperation and partnership."
