Lavrov Backs Gulf Push to Avert Full-Scale Mideast War

(MENAFN) Russia is throwing its weight behind Gulf efforts to stop the Middle East from sliding back into full-scale war, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Sunday.

Lavrov made the pledge at the ninth ministerial meeting of the Russia-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Strategic Dialogue in Bahrain. There, he unveiled an updated collective security concept for the Gulf. He noted that earlier iterations had been debated over several decades with political, academic and expert circles across GCC member states.

Countries bordering the Gulf, he argued, must have the final word on how regional security is secured. He called for direct talks between Gulf states and their neighbors, including Iraq and Jordan.

“Our concept is aimed at this, and — as you are aware — we propose involving actors from outside the region in creating such conditions, including the leadership of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as — should you be interested — the permanent members of the UN Security Council, to help bolster this process,” he said.

Lavrov called deeper ties with GCC members a foreign policy priority for Moscow, pointing to expanding economic cooperation and frequent high-level contacts.

Trade between Russia and GCC states jumped 45% last year, he said, while both sides continue to work under a joint action plan running from 2023 to 2028.

“The effectiveness of our economic cooperation depends to a significant extent on the stability of the region,” he said.

Lavrov also credited the strategic dialogue with enabling discussion of regional and international issues and with widening trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian links.

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