Tokyo: GCC Secretary General Jassem Al-Budaiwi and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Monday expressed their mutual commitment to enhancing relations between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Japan, as announced by Japan's Foreign Ministry.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the meeting in Tokyo highlighted the growing significance of GCC countries, which include Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar, in the current regional and international landscape. Minister Iwaya emphasized Japan's desire to deepen cooperation with the GCC to promote peace and stability both regionally and globally.
Al-Budaiwi reiterated the importance of the Japan-GCC relationship and extended an invitation for a Japan-GCC Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Minister Iwaya also expressed Japan's expectation for the GCC's continued leadership in stabilizing the global oil market amid the unstable Middle Eastern context.
The discussions included a focus on bolstering cooperation across various political and economic domains, with a particular emphasis on expediting the Japan-GCC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations. Both parties expressed optimism for the early conclusion of the EPA and committed to advancing cooperation in line with the Japan-GCC Action Plan.
The meeting also involved candid exchanges on Middle Eastern issues, such as the Israeli occupation, Iran, the Gaza Strip, and Syria. Minister Iwaya assured Japan's ongoing diplomatic efforts to support the ceasefire agreement between the Israeli occupation and Iran and to facilitate renewed dialogue avenues.
Additionally, Iwaya and Al-Budaiwi acknowledged shared concerns over threats to navigation freedom and attacks on oil facilities, affirming the need for close cooperation between Japan and the GCC to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East.