وزراء الخارجية العرب يؤكدون أهمية أمن الملاحة وحماية إمدادات الطاقة في الخليج العربي

The Council of the League of Arab States at the level of Foreign Ministers emphasized at the conclusion of its 164th regular session, chaired by the United Arab Emirates, the importance of enhancing maritime security and energy supplies in the Arabian Gulf and international waterways, in light of the increasing challenges facing the region.

The Council expressed its solidarity in its resolution with the measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in confronting the practices and assaults targeting maritime routes and energy supplies in the Arabian Gulf and international waterways, supporting investigations to uncover those involved in these assaults and bringing them to justice, and endorsing the actions taken by the United Arab Emirates in coordination with international partners following the incident of the attack on oil tankers within the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates, as well as various threats to maritime routes and energy supplies.

The Council affirmed the principle of freedom of maritime navigation in international waters, in accordance with established rules in international law and maritime law agreements, and called for ensuring the security and safety of maritime navigation in the Arabian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Arabian Sea, and securing energy supply lines.

The Council condemned all acts targeting the security and safety of navigation and vital facilities and energy supplies, including oil facilities in the Arabian Gulf and other waterways, considering them acts that threaten the security of Arab states and pose a danger to international peace and security.

The Council emphasized the necessity of addressing threats to maritime navigation and vital facilities by enhancing Arab cooperation and activating mechanisms for joint action in the fields of maritime security and the protection of strategic routes and energy lines.

The Arab League Council at the level of Foreign Ministers condemned the terrorist sabotage attack on September 14, 2019, on the oil facilities of Saudi Aramco using drones and cruise missiles, considering it a serious escalation aimed at destabilizing the region and global energy security.

The Council also condemned the Houthi militias' seizure of three ships off the Red Sea coast on November 18, 2019, one of which belonged to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and called for their immediate release.

The Council welcomed the three framework agreements between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Nations to address threats targeting waterways and energy lines, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts in this regard.

The Council strongly condemned the Houthis' attack on the Ras Tanura port on November 23, 2020, using drones and ballistic missiles targeting Saudi oil stations.

The Council condemned the attacks on oil tankers and commercial ships in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, including the terrorist attack on May 12, 2019, on four tankers at the Port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, as well as the assaults on tankers near Marsa Mursel Island on June 13, 2019, and the repeated attacks on oil tankers off the Port of Jeddah in 2021.

The Council warned of the continued threats posed by the Houthi militias to maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the serious risks this poses to global trade and energy security, strongly condemning the attempts by the Houthi militias to target oil facilities using explosive boats and drones, considering these practices a serious threat to regional and international security.

The Council also condemned the actions taken by Iranian authorities in seizing ships in the Strait of Hormuz and called for adherence to international laws regarding freedom of navigation.

The Council denounced the repositioning of Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces on the three occupied Emirati islands (Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa) and conducting military maneuvers there, affirming that this constitutes a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates.

The Council also condemned the repeated assaults on oil tankers and energy infrastructure, including the attack on the Emirati tanker "Lirika" on January 2, 2022, considering these attacks a serious threat to international security and maritime navigation.

The Council praised the outcomes of the meeting of the Council of Red Sea and Gulf of Aden States in October 2020, which enhanced mechanisms for regional coordination and cooperation to address security challenges and ensure the security of navigation and energy.

The Council commended the results of the United Nations Security Council meeting held on August 9, 2021, regarding "Maritime Security and Safety," calling for the activation of those outcomes and following up on the implementation of related resolutions.

The Council emphasized the importance of the full commitment of Arab states to protecting maritime navigation and energy lines, calling for the adoption of internal measures to secure vital routes and ensure the safe and regular flow of energy.

The Council requested the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States to follow up on the implementation of this resolution and to provide a detailed report on developments related to maritime security and energy supplies in the region to the Council at its next session.

The Council of the League of Arab States at the level of Foreign Ministers held meetings of its 164th regular session yesterday at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League in Cairo, where the Council discussed the most pressing Arab issues, foremost among them the cessation of war in Gaza and the West Bank, supporting humanitarian and relief efforts, in addition to files related to Arab national security and joint cooperation.