The United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have released a joint statement outlining shared priorities and common ground on regional and global crises. The statement, released after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended a GCC meeting during his visit to Saudi Arabia, underscores the US’s “enduring commitment” to the Gulf region despite concerns about its waning influence in the Middle East in an increasingly multipolar world. Here are some key takeaways from the lengthy statement:
Two-state solution ‘along 1967 borders’
The statement calls for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “along 1967 borders with mutually agreed swaps consistent with internationally recognized parameters and the Arab Peace Initiative”. This is not the first time the administration of US President Joe Biden has invoked the 1967 borders as a basis for resolving the conflict. But the statement marks a rare written endorsement of that framework from a US administration that has repeatedly said it considers Jerusalem to be Israel’s capital. The US provides at least $3.8bn in military aid to Israel annually.
No mention of Israel normalisation
Blinken had made no secret of his intention to push for formal relations between Israel and Arab states – particularly Saudi Arabia – during his trip. In a speech earlier this week, he said Washington has a “real national security interest in promoting normalisation” between Israel and the kingdom. Addressing the GCC on Wednesday, Blinken reiterated that the US is “collaborating with countries in the region to widen and deepen the normalisation of relations with Israel”. But the joint statement on Thursday made no mention of Arab-Israeli normalisation.
Welcoming Saudi-Iranian ties
The US-GCC joint statement unambiguously welcomed the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Past US statements had shown cautious backing at best for the Chinese-brokered deal that saw the two countries restore bilateral ties.
Common ground on Syria
The Biden administration has previously openly voiced opposition to its Arab allies’ drive to rekindle ties with the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. But the sides appeared to find consensus on Thursday, saying that they support a political resolution to the crisis that preserves Syria’s unity, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for free elections in the country.
Vague statement on Ukraine
The communique stressed territorial integrity and international law without explicitly condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Many Gulf states have taken a neutral approach to the conflict as Washington tried to unify its allies against Moscow.
In conclusion, the joint statement between the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council highlights shared priorities and common ground on regional and global crises. The statement calls for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “along 1967 borders with mutually agreed swaps consistent with internationally recognized parameters and the Arab Peace Initiative”. The US-GCC joint statement unambiguously welcomed the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The sides appeared to find consensus on supporting a political resolution to the Syrian crisis that preserves Syria’s unity, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for free elections in the country.