Belgian and Greek PMs Highlight Significance of EU-GCC Summit

Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo expressed confidence that the parties participating in the First European Union (EU) - Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit will reach significant agreements regarding the conflict in the Middle East, particularly the Israeli war on Gaza and Lebanon, highlighting the level of representation of the delegations involved. In press statements prior to the summit, De Croo emphasized the importance of holding this meeting at a crucial time for the Middle East, stressing the need to strengthen economic ties between the EU and the Gulf region. The Prime Minister of Belgium said that this summit demonstrates that participants are partners on many issues and share a lot of common interests, expressing hope for a ceasefire in the Middle East, the release of the hostages, and an end to the ongoing escalation of violence in recent weeks. De Croo remarked that it is unacceptable to blame the United Nations and its agencies and hoped for continued efforts to reach a ceasefire in the region, adding that there is a lot to be discussed regarding the agenda's items. The Prime Minister of Belgium reiterated the need for a halt to the aggression and killings affecting thousands of civilians and the importance of releasing hostages. For his part, Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the summit comes at a time of significant tension in the Middle East and that it is an important summit to establish dialogue at the highest possible levels in order to unify opinions in calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, to ensure that this conflict does not spiral out of control. Mitsotakis added that the summit will discuss various topics related to economic cooperation and highlighted the many prospects for cooperation, especially in the energy sector. The Prime Minister of Greece emphasized the importance of the Middle East as a key corridor in the trade route between India and Europe and the need to establish institutional dialogue between the EU and the GCC to enhance coo peration between the two sides. Source: Qatar News Agency