Foreign ministers of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have labeled the elections in Syria as a farce.
They dismissed the vote as a way for President Bashar Assad to stay in power and prolong the country’s bloody three-year conflict.
The final communiqué released after the GCC ministerial meeting here Monday night said that holding the elections and the resulting nomination of Assad would “undermine Arab and international efforts to solve the ongoing crisis.”
The Saudi delegation to the GCC ministerial meeting was led by Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah, deputy minister of foreign affairs.
A GCC official said that “no credible vote can be held in Syria when several regions of the country are outside state control and millions of people have left the country to live as refugees.”
The GCC also stressed the importance of turning war criminals in Syria over to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The foreign ministers expressed concerns over the Russian and Chinese “vetoes against any UN Security Council draft resolution regarding the Syrian issue.”
The GCC foreign ministers also urged the international community to take strong punitive action against Syria because Assad’s actions pose a direct threat to the security of neighboring countries.They also called on the P-5+1 group of nations to ensure that Iran scales down its uranium enrichment program.
In his opening speech at the GCC ministerial meeting, Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s foreign minister, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the GCC, urged the international community to “take measures to protect unarmed citizens and to ensure delivery of humanitarian assistance to Syrian citizens in besieged areas.”
Sabah said the GCC countries were looking forward to Iranian talks on a host of regional issues including Syria to ensure “security and stability” in the region. On the Palestinian issue, he reaffirmed the GCC support for a viable Palestine state.
On Egypt, Sabah praised the government there for holding successful elections and hoped that the country’s strategic role would be enhanced regionally and internationally.
The meeting was attended by Omani Foreign Minister Yousef bin Alawi, Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah. Abdullateef Al-Zayani, the GCC secretary general, also attended the session.
GCC slams Syrian elections as ‘farce’
GCC slams Syrian elections as ‘farce’
Islamic leaders call for unity against extremism at Bangkok conference
RIYADH: Participants in Bangkok on Sunday at the third Khair Ummah conference of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations stressed Islam’s foundation in worshipping Allah and following the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings, urging Muslims to promote moderation while contributing to progress.
In a final communique of the two-day event, which was organized by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs in Thailand, participants called on scholars to uphold Islam’s tolerant values and address misinterpretations of religious discourse.
They highlighted the importance of following the path of the Prophet’s companions, combating extremism, and rejecting groups that misused religion for personal gain, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Participants stressed the need to leverage modern media and technology to promote Islam, counter misinformation through research, and develop programs instilling Islamic values and tolerance in young people.
The conference focused on research papers by various scholars and aimed to strengthen communication among Islamic leaders and institutions to advance civilization.
Saudi Arabia’s Islamic Minister Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh on Saturday emphasized that the conference aimed to strengthen Islamic unity and uphold Islamic identity through solidarity and adherence to the truth.
He said that scholars had a significant responsibility in light of global challenges and the intellectual, political, social, and security issues facing the world.
Al-Asheikh added: “This situation calls for a real response from scholars and researchers to clarify the right religious stance against sedition and to reinforce the core principles of the Islamic faith.”
Umrah guests from 18 African nations visit Islamic heritage sites in Madinah
RIYADH: The third group of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Program for Umrah and Visit toured several historical and religious sites in Madinah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
As part of a cultural program by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the visit aimed to enrich the cultural experience of visitors and Umrah performers in the holy city.
The group, consisting of 250 pilgrims from 18 African countries, visited the Uhud site, Mount Al-Ramah, and the Uhud Martyrs’ Cemetery, learning about this historic turning point in Islam.
At Quba Mosque, the guests performed prayers and were briefed on its facilities and the ongoing expansion projects designed to increase capacity and enhance services for worshippers.
The guests also learned about the mosque’s historical and religious significance as the first mosque built after the Prophet Muhammad’s migration to Madinah.
Additionally, they toured the King Fahd Glorious Qur’an Printing Complex in Madinah, where they explored the technical and administrative departments and learned about the various stages of printing the Holy Qur’an and its translation into multiple languages.
The visit also showcased the complex’s efforts in recording Qur’anic recitations, interpreting its meanings, advancing Qur’anic sciences, and supporting Islamic research and studies.
The guests were introduced to the complex’s written and audio publications, which aim to spread Islamic teachings worldwide. At the end of the tour, representatives of the complex presented copies of the Holy Qur’an to the guests.
This third group is part of a larger initiative to host 1,000 male and female pilgrims from 66 countries this year. After their visit to Madinah, the guests will travel to Makkah to perform Umrah rituals.
Saudi project clears 840 Houthi mines in Yemen
RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 840 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.
The total included 38 anti-tank mines, 800 unexploded ordnances and two explosive devices, according to a recent report.
Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 479,794 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.
The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.
The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Jouf’s camping sites highlight spring tourism
RIYADH: The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification has designated eight spring camping sites in areas of Jouf.
These, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday, are Rahiya, Hadib National Park, Al-Rasif, Al-Yatima, Al-Mahta, Al-Athath, Al-Adhra’, and Laijah National Park.
Popular for wilderness tourism, these sites attract visitors with natural landscapes, early spring blooms such as lavender and buttercup, as well as truffle hunting.
Camping in Jouf is a prominent social winter activity, fostering connections and celebrating the region’s vibrant post-rain spring landscapes, SPA reported.
Local wilderness enthusiast Bilal Al-Khalidi highlighted weekend camping as a cherished pastime, with groups traveling in adventure-ready vehicles and dividing tasks such as transporting tents and cooking equipment.
Once at the site, campers set up tents, prepare Saudi coffee and tea, hike, and collect wild aromatic plants, he said, adding that evenings are dedicated to dinner and overnight stays, while mornings begin with flatbread cooked over charcoal.
Saudi Arabia condemns deadly attack on healthcare facility in Sudan
- A drone attack on Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital in Al-Fasher has killed 70 people
- It was not clear which of Sudan's warring sides had launched the attack
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia strongly condemned on Sunday the drone attack on a Saudi-run hospital in El-Fasher in Sudan's Darfur region.
A drone attack on Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital in the besieged town in western Sudan has killed 70 people and wounded 19 others, the World Health Organization said.
The Kingdom described the attack as a “violation of international law and international humanitarian law.”
“The Kingdom reiterated its rejection of these violations and emphasized the critical need to protect health and humanitarian workers,” read the foreign ministry statement.
It called for practice of “self-restraint” and avoidance of “targeting civilians.”
The Kingdom also called for adherence to the commitments made in the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan.
It was not clear which of Sudan's warring sides had launched the attack.
The conflict in Sudan has unleashed a humanitarian disaster of epic proportions.
Tens of thousands have been killed and over 12 million people have been uprooted.
