Russia praised the successful efforts of the OPEC+ countries in preserving the stability of the global oil market…reports Asian Lite News
Representatives of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, where the joint action plan between the GCC and Russia for 2023-2028 was adopted, which addresses cooperation between both sides.
Russian foreign minister said at the end of last year, trade between Russia and the GCC countries was increased by more than six percent compared to the previous year, and exceeded $11 billion.
“Of course, trade is not developing evenly with every country present here, but the general trends are positive. As for individual reserves within the framework of bilateral relations in the trade and economic sphere, we will elaborate on them during today’s meetings,” Lavrov said.
Representing UAE, Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, participated in the meeting.
“It is necessary to pay special attention to economic and trade ties between our countries which have been declining due to the pandemic and other problems,” Lavrov said.
“I am confident that the intergovernmental commission will reach a consensus. These meetings were not convened during the coronavirus restrictions. The parties are currently working on the next meeting. We should support them in every way.”
Both sides stressed the importance of supporting the global economy and preserving the stability of the global oil market, the joint statement said.
The Gulf countries and Russia also praised the successful efforts of the OPEC+ countries in this regard, and said there needed to be continued cooperation of all participating countries to adhere to the OPEC+ agreement in a way that served the interests of the global economy, the Arab News reported.
The GCC secretary-general said that cooperation with Russia within the OPEC+ group has had a positive impact on the oil market.
The position of the GCC on the Russia-Ukraine war is aligned with established UN conventions and principles, Al-Budaiwi said.
He added that Gulf Arab states back the UN principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states, as well as any and all mediation efforts to bring an end to the conflict, the Arab News reported.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed his country’s welcoming of the rapprochement between Gulf states and Iran, and the reintroduction of Syria to the Arab League.
“We have a unified position with the Gulf states towards Syria’s unity and sovereignty over its lands, and Syria’s return to the Arab League has positively affected the region,” he said, it was reported.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, met with the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, on the sidelines of the joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Russian Federation in Moscow.
During the meeting, they reviewed the historical relations for friendship and strategic cooperation between the two friendly countries and peoples. They also discussed ways to enhance and develop these relations in all fields, along with consolidating bilateral and multilateral efforts on numerous files of common interest.
The meeting was attended by Saudi Ambassador to Russia Abdulrahman Al-Ahmad and Abdulrahman Al-Dawood, director-general of the foreign minister’s office, the Arab News reported.
ALSO READ: UAE set to remain Russian tourists’ preferred GCC destination
[soliloquy id="151345"]