抖阴短视频

RIYADH: The forthcoming joint summit of the European Union and Gulf Cooperation Council will deepen bilateral political engagement, enhance trade and investment, and strengthen cooperation on pressing foreign policy issues, Charles Michel, president of the European Council, has said.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Michel discussed the upcoming EU-GCC summit, taking place on Oct. 16 in Brussels, where leaders of the two blocs are expected to discuss a broad range of issues, from the crisis in the Middle East to Russia鈥檚 war with Ukraine.

鈥淚 am very optimistic that this summit can be an important political moment because, together with the Gulf countries in the EU leaders, we want to upgrade our relationship to a more strategic level,鈥� said Michel.

鈥淲e want this relationship to be sustainable, to be a long term, a long term relationship.鈥�

Michel arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday, where he met with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. The two leaders discussed relations and ways of enhancing cooperation between the Kingdom and the EU.

He was also scheduled to meet with Jasem Al-Budaiwi, the secretary general of the GCC. At the top of the agenda was the upcoming EU-GCC summit.

鈥淲e are working to prepare for the summit that will take place in Brussels in October between the GCC 鈥� the Gulf countries 鈥� and the EU,鈥� said Michel. 鈥淭his will be a historic moment and we would like the summit to be a successful one.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why it was important for me to meet with the crown prince to hear directly from him what the expectations in 抖阴短视频 are for the summit so that we can prepare very well. My main goal is to make this summit an effective meeting.鈥�

Michel underlined the potential outcomes of the summit, including the furthering of political cooperation on various issues between the GCC and the EU.

鈥淔irst, political engagement 鈥� political at the highest level,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd this common opinion we have, the GCC and the EU, that there is a lot to gain if we work more closely together from a political point of view.鈥�

Michel also underlined that the EU-GCC joint summit will 鈥渟end a signal to the EU, into the private sector, that there鈥檚 a vast potential for more economic cooperation鈥� with the Kingdom thanks to the opportunities presented by Saudi Vision 2030.

Bilateral relations between 抖阴短视频 and the EU have been rapidly evolving in many areas.

鈥淚n recent years, we have worked a lot to strengthen the ties to improve relationships in various fields, for instance, climate change, energy, all those topics are very important for all of us in the future,鈥� said Michel.

There is, however, scope to develop ties further between 抖阴短视频 and the EU in fields such as trade, investment, and hydrogen power. 鈥淚n all those sectors there is a lot that we can do together,鈥� he added.

Describing the 鈥渧ast potential鈥� for economic cooperation that could result from the EU-GCC summit, Michel said the EU is ready to contribute to the goals of 抖阴短视频鈥檚 Vision 2030 reform and economic diversification agenda.

鈥淲e are ready to be a loyal partner, to support those efforts in line with this 2030 vision for the transformation of the country, and with this purpose to diversify the economy of the country,鈥� he said.

However, opportunities for cooperation extend far beyond trade and investment into common security and foreign policy areas.

鈥淚n terms of geopolitical challenges, we need to cooperate,鈥� said Michel. 鈥淲e need to coordinate. The war in Gaza, the situation in the Middle East, the war launched by Russia against Ukraine.

鈥淲e think that more cooperation between the EU and Gulf countries could play a useful role in the future.鈥�

Both 抖阴短视频 and the EU have called for a ceasefire in Gaza, where the 10-month conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas has created a major humanitarian emergency. Michel outlined the EU鈥檚 stance on the conflict.

鈥淔irst, it is extremely urgent, we need to get a ceasefire and the release of hostages,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd we support all the efforts of those who are working very hard to make it happen and to make it possible.

鈥淔or instance, I had a conversation two weeks ago with (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu. We passed on a very clear message that we want a ceasefire, we want the release of hostages, we want the de-escalation.

鈥淲e want the two-state solution 鈥� the EU is a strong supporter of the two-state solution. You know that some EU member states recently, a few months ago, decided to recognize Palestine and we want to work with all our partners.鈥�

Michel said 鈥減eace would be, and will be, the best security guarantee.鈥�

Asked what steps are required to bring about the two-state solution, Michel said: 鈥淚 think it is important to encourage the Palestinian people, to organize themselves with legitimate authorities, probably reforms also are needed.

鈥淎nd we need to support all those invested in the community who are working to make those reforms possible.鈥�

Michel called the crisis in Gaza 鈥渁 humanitarian catastrophe,鈥� adding that it is 鈥渆xtremely important, in the short term, to provide humanitarian assistance to the people in need.鈥�

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why the EU, together with the member states, have decided to mobilize a lot of support, a lot of money and a lot of support to provide this aid and this assistance to the people in Gaza and in the West Bank.鈥�

In relation to the escalating tit-for-tat between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, Michel said the normalization of diplomatic relationships across the region was more urgent than ever. 

鈥淭his is important to encourage more stability and to encourage a country like Iran not to play games that have an impact in terms of instability in the region using proxies,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e are on the side of the people of Lebanon because they are the first victims of all those difficulties in the country.鈥�

He added: 鈥淒espite the differences we have, Iran and the EU, we have decided to engage with Iran, to engage with the new president of Iran, to discuss our differences, and to see how we can try to make some progress, including regarding the nuclear challenge.鈥�

Asked about 抖阴短视频鈥檚 bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034, Michel lauded the power of sport to bring disparate cultures together.

鈥淲e know that the Olympics or football 鈥� sport in general 鈥� is a way to bring people together and people with different languages, culture,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are all together when we participate in sporting events.鈥�