GCC initiative to resolve Yemeni crisis signed in Riyadh
November 23, 2011
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh signed the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative to resolve the Yemeni crisis at the palace of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz in Riyadh this evening. The executive mechanism of the agreement was also signed by representatives of the Yemeni government and the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP).Afterwards, King Abdullah delivered a speech in which he reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for its neighbor. He characterized the signing of the initiative as an “achievement that God has led you to accomplish in order to resort to reason and abandon discord, and remain united.” He declared, “Today is the beginning of a new page in your history that needs vigilance, realization of interest, and identification of goals. Freedom in all of its forms cannot survive without accountability. If they diverge, the result is chaos in a labyrinth whose extent is known only to God Almighty.” The King warned, “Let not the past carry you into the depths of darkness, and remember the words of God: God forgives what is past.”
Then, GCC Secretary General Dr. Abdullatif Al-Zayani delivered a speech in which he highlighted the efforts exerted by King Abdullah to serve the Arab world. “Your directives and those of the GCC leaders stem from your eagerness to stop the bloodshed between the Yemeni brothers and to reach a peaceful solution to preserve Yemen’s unity, security and stability,” he said. The Secretary General expressed thanks to the GCC Foreign Ministers, the Yemeni President, the Joint Meeting parties, the United States, the European Union, Russian, the United Nations and the GCC Ambassadors to Yemen for their efforts in supporting the initiative.
Finally, President Saleh delivered a speech in which he thanked the Kingdom for hosting the meeting and welcomed the observation and assistance of Yemen’s partners in order to implement the agreement.
The signing ceremony was attended by Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz; Prince Miteb bin Abdulaziz; Defense Minister Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz; Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal; Chief of General Intelligence Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz; GCC Ministers of Foreign Affairs; GCC Ambassadors and Ambassadors of Permanent Members of the U.N. Security Council; and many other senior officials.
