Riyadh: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has stressed that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries need now, more than ever, to bolster and strengthen the Gulf joint action system in view of the turbulent regional environment and rapidly changing global scenario.

Shaikh Mohammad said the GCC countries are a key pillar in the ongoing developments happening in the Arab region and Middle East. Hence, they are shouldering great historical responsibilities represented by establishing and maintaining the region’s security and stability as well as countering “sabotage schemes” facing some countries.

Shaikh Mohammad made these remarks on Thursday while addressing the GCC-US Summit being held in Riyadh.

During the summit, Shaikh Mohammad conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the GCC leaders and to US President Barack Obama as well as his best wishes to the summit to bring about results that strengthen the Gulf-US joint action and protect supreme Arab interests.

The GCC’s stances towards many issues and developments reflected their solidarity and unity. They sent a clear message that the GCC countries are able to defend their interests and achievements, and have a strong will and dynamic response mechanism towards any challenge that may threaten our security, Shaikh Mohammad underlined.

Shaikh Mohammad pointed out that the “UAE’s stance on the entire events occurring in our region, especially in Yemen, Libya, Iraq and Syria is based on clear priorities” including maintaining the security and stability of the Arab countries and their peoples, and serving their aspirations of stability, prosperity and development as well as facing terrorist groups that represent a real threat to the present and future existence of all communities and countries.

It is also based on the priority to fight any external attempt of interference in the internal affairs of any Arab county as well as to thwart any attempt to spark sectarian divisions.

He noted that the peace process in the Middle East and the Palestinians’ right to obtain all of their rights will remain the central issues for all Arabs, saying that realising a true peace in the Middle East will solve several problems caused by the Israeli occupation.

Shaikh Mohammad reaffirmed the importance of bringing the Palestinian suffering to an end based on international resolutions and the Arab peace initiatives to lay the foundations of lasting peace and stability in the region.

The participation of President Obama in the GCC-US summit has given a great opportunity to discuss GCC-US cooperation and exchange views on issues affecting security and stability in the region and mechanisms that could put an end to ongoing conflicts, wars and threats facing our region, notably extremism, terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction among others, Shaikh Mohammad said.

Shaikh Mohammad pointed out that the Gulf-US relations are deep rooted based on mutual understanding and dialogue.

He also said the US participation in the summit reflects its keenness to strengthen relations with the Gulf countries as well as to learn their stances and views on crises facing the region. The GCC countries do realise the nature of changes and developments taking place in the regional and international arenas.

Shaikh Mohammad concluded thanking Saudi Arabia for its influential role in enhancing Gulf joint action, and said the Saudis’ wise leadership represents a key pillar in the Arab and Islamic solidarity and “that is what we need at this crucial time”. He added that the UAE stands beside Saudi Arabia on all issues and would take targeted actions to save the region from “foreign ambitions”.