During his meetings with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 April, the President of the European Council, António Costa, reiterated the EU’s “unquestionable” support for the Gulf States in the context of the war in the Middle East.
“The Gulf countries can count on the European Union now and in the future”, he promised at a press briefing in Doha, explaining that he had travelled to the region to offer the EU’s support, with two priorities: to work for a stable and lasting ceasefire that can pave the way for a lasting peace, and to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which, with the Red Sea, “are vital arteries for the global economy, supply chains, and world trade”. “Restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is crucial and urgent”, he insisted, adding that Europe was determined to help guarantee the safe passage of ships.
On Friday 17 April, France and the United Kingdom are organising a videoconference of non-belligerent countries ready to contribute to “a multilateral and purely defensive mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait when security conditions allow”, while on Wednesday, Tehran threatened to block maritime traffic in the Red Sea if the United States continued its blockade on Iranian ports.
“Since the beginning of this conflict, the European Union has been consistent in calling for de-escalation and negotiations in full respect of international law”, summarised Mr Costa, recalling the “disastrous” consequences of the conflict and warning that the situation will only worsen from day to day until the conflict is resolved.
The President of the European Council stressed that it was essential for the various players to take advantage of the momentum created by the recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran in order to address the international community’s concerns about Iran. “That means nuclear programme of course but also its ballistic missile programme”, he added.
Mr Costa also reiterated the EU’s support for Lebanon, which continues to face Israeli strikes. “Empowering the (Lebanese) authorities to disarm Hezbollah is the only sustainable solution for restoring Lebanon’s international stability”, he warned. According to Mr Costa, Tuesday’s negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are a positive step forward. “We support and welcome the talks aimed at guaranteeing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon and enabling the Lebanese authorities to fulfil their commitments, including the disarmament of Hezbollah”, he added. According to the President, “it is crucial that these talks continue and yield results".
In Brussels, in front of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, said that the international community needed to give greater support to regional stability and de-escalation. “The weight of the EU is real, it is one of the largest blocs, and the EU has a role to play in finding a solution. This was the case in the Iranian conflict a few years ago, and it has the necessary tools to play a positive role”, he stressed.
Strengthening the EU/Gulf partnership. The President of the European Council and the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council both called for EU-GCC cooperation to be deepened and strengthened.
While Mr Costa reiterated that the EU was “ a reliable and predictable partner for the Gulf countries” and called for the EU and the Gulf countries to work together “more than ever”, Mr Albudaiwi explained that the GCC was “a responsible and reliable partner at regional and international level”.
“Strengthening these relations is no longer optional, but a practical necessity, given our shared challenges”, explained the Secretary General, highlighting areas of common interest such as digital technology, critical infrastructure, energy, transport and security. He also called for closer parliamentary cooperation between the two blocs.
A second summit between the EU and the GCC is due to be held in the next few months and should, according to Mr Albudaiwi, provide an opportunity to launch negotiations on visa exemption for Gulf citizens and to take stock of progress on the EU-GCC free trade agreement. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)