Minister of Foreign Affairs participates in the Emergency Meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers in Istanbul

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Mauritanians Abroad, Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, participated in the emergency meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Arab States, which took place on Friday evening in Istanbul (Turkey), on the sidelines of the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The meeting discussed developments in the region, most notably the Israeli aggression against Iran and its repercussions.

In the final statement issued following the meeting, the Arab foreign ministers condemned the Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, stressing the need to stop this aggression and intensify regional and international efforts to reduce tension to reach a ceasefire and truce.

The final statement also included a call for a return to negotiations to reach an agreement on the Iranian nuclear file, calling on the international community and the Security Council in particular to fulfill their responsibilities to stop Israeli aggression, which constitutes a clear violation of international law and a threat to the security of the region, considering that the only way to resolve crises in the region is through diplomacy and dialogue in accordance with the rules of international law and the United Nations Charter.

He stressed that a comprehensive truce in the region can only be achieved by addressing all the causes of conflict and tension, starting with stopping the Israeli aggression on Gaza, allowing the entry of humanitarian aid immediately, sufficiently and sustainably through the relevant United Nations organizations, and stopping the illegal Israeli measures in the occupied West Bank

The Arab Foreign Ministers’ statement pointed out that Israel is pushing the region towards more conflict and tension, which calls for effective and effective international action to stop Israel’s aggressive actions and policies and work to achieve a just and comprehensive peace that guarantees the security of all, welcoming in this context the convening of the high-level international conference for the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic, and urging all UN member states to actively participate in it when the new date is announced.

The statement also welcomed the Arab Republic of Egypt’s hosting of a high-level international conference to support the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza and the implementation of the relevant Arab-Islamic plan at the earliest opportunity following the ceasefire.

The statement emphasized the need to respect the freedom of navigation in international waterways, based on the relevant rules of international law, respecting the principles of the UN Charter that prohibit the use or threat of force in international relations, calling for the resolution of disputes by peaceful means, respecting the territorial integrity and unity of states, the principles of good neighborliness, and rejecting any attempt to undermine their security and stability.

He called for respecting the sovereignty of countries in the region and condemning any violation of their airspace by any party, stressing the need to refrain from targeting nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards, and warning of the dangers of nuclear emissions and their leakage in the region due to their devastating humanitarian and environmental effects.

The meeting emphasized the importance of ridding the Middle East region of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in accordance with international resolutions and the decisions of previous Arab summits, and stressed the need for all countries in the region to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

The meeting was attended by Mauritania’s Ambassador to Istanbul, Sheikh Sayed Ahmed Elbakay Hamadi, the Director of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Sayed Ahmed Mohamed Elsalek, the Ambassador and Director of Communication and Information at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Mohamed Douh, and the Assistant Director of Honors, Amadou Baila Ba, in addition to the Minister.