DOHA // Foreign ministers from the GCC, Jordan and Morocco have called for greater efforts to block financing for terrorism and strengthen the US-led coalition against ISIL in Iraq and Syria.
The ministers, who were preparing for the December 9 GCC summit also in Qatar, stressed the importance of sanctions on those associated with extremist groups in line with a UN Security Council resolution.
“The ministers emphasised that international action should include combating the financing of terrorism and to address extremism, incitement and ideologies that exploit religion and distort the teachings of Islam and which have no link to Islam,” an official communique said.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, represented the UAE at the meeting.
The ministers said extremist ideology and politicisation were “among the most important causes of terrorism” and threatened the “stability and coherence of nations”.
They condemned crimes and atrocities committed by terrorist and extremist groups.
“They also stressed the importance of strengthening the international coalition to defeat [ISIL] and other terrorist organisations, and to address the threat posed by foreign fighters in those factions by taking the steps … to prevent the flow of fighters and money to terrorist groups.”
The group welcomed the findings of the International Conference on Combating the Financing of Terrorism in Bahrain this month.
“They expressed deep concern over the disruption of peaceful solutions to the crises in the region, which provides a fertile environment for the upsurge in activity by armed terrorist organisations,” the communique added.
The ministers also expressed their deep concern about Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of the GCC countries and the region, which “do not serve regional stability and security”.
They called on Tehran to comply with its commitments over its nuclear programme.
The ministers welcomed the efforts of Oman in holding nuclear negotiations between Iran and six world powers in Muscat on November 9 and 10.
The ministers reaffirmed their support to the sovereignty of the UAE over the three islands occupied by Iran – Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs.
They reiterated their call for Iran to resolve the issue through direct talks or the International Court of Justice.
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