BRUSSELS: The European Parliament on Wednesday praised the socioeconomic transformation in Saudi Arabia and called for closer cooperation between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs David McAllister stated, "I am impressed by the range and scale of the societal changes that Saudi Arabia has experienced since the last time a foreign affairs committee parliamentary delegation visited the Kingdom, in particular as regards the role of women in society, in public administration and in the economy".

He made the statement following the visit of EP delegation, led by McAllister, to Riyadh on Monday and Tuesday. "This week's visit to Saudi Arabia is part of our effort to reach out to a key partner in the Middle East region", said the German MEP, thanking Saudi for its support of the UN General Assembly resolutions of March 2 and October 12 on the Russian military operation in Ukraine and on the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories. The EP delegation visit followed the publication in May of an EU document on 'Strategic Partnership with the Gulf'.

While welcoming the new EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) alignment, MEPs shared with the Saudi and the GCC leadership their support for initiatives fostering Gulf unity and stability. They discussed ways to improve and develop the cooperation with both Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council, especially global and regional stability, but also on energy and food security, the green transition, economic diversification and human rights, read the statement.

MEPs also stressed the link between energy prices and the security of supply, and emphasized that sanctions against Russia are essential. The visit took place in the context of the "ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine" and the dramatic geopolitical changes that have occurred since. The EP delegation met a number of top Saudi government officials and parliamentarians including the Shura Council representatives.

Both sides underlined the importance of finding political solutions to the conflicts in Yemen and Syria. The political deadlock in Lebanon and the political situation in Iraq are also a matter of great concern. The role of Iran in the region was also discussed. The EP delegation also met Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Walid Al-Khureiji, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir, and discussed the urgent need for political stabilization in the region and the importance of addressing Iranian influence and its destabilizing activities through its proxies in the region and beyond.

Furthermore, the potential of a free trade agreement and of a reciprocal visa waiver scheme, as well as the recent Saudi Arabia-China and GCC-China summits were also discussed. MEPs met with the Chairman of the Presidential Leadership of Council of the Republic of Yemen, Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, and discussed the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen and ways to support a UN-led sustainable peace settlement of the conflict.

In their meeting with the Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz Salman Al Saud, MEPs touched upon the EU and Saudi Arabia's shared objective to diversify energy sources and to develop new sustainable forms of energy. Discussions on the Kingdom's support for the Green Initiative and Green Middle East initiative, as ambitious means for enhancing regional and worldwide collaboration on green transition also took place during the visit.

In the meetings with the Deputy Minister for Justice, Najem Al Zeid, and with Dr. Hala AlTuwaijri, the President of the Human Rights Commission, MEPs welcomed the regular dialogue on human rights between the EU and Saudi Arabia. MEPs took stock and welcomed the ongoing modernization of the legal and judicial systems, including on women's, family and evidence law, and digitalization in Saudi Arabia.

The EP Delegation included Chair of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs, David McAllister, the Chair of the EP Standing delegation for the Relations with Arab Peninsula, Hannah Neumann, Germany, Jordi Sole, member of EP Foreign Affairs Committee and Jean-Lin Lacapelle member of EP subcommittee on Security and Defense.

Steps up engagement

Meanwhile, European Union's top diplomat said that engaging and promoting peace and security in the Gulf region are among the top priorities for the 27- member European bloc. "Just last week, I, together with the 27 EU Member States' Foreign Ministers, we reiterated that promoting peace and stability in the wider Gulf region - I want to stress, the wider Gulf region - and in the broader Middle East, are key priorities for the European Union," he told the international conference on Iraq hosted by Jordan today.

"That is why we stand ready to engage with all actors in the region in a gradual and inclusive approach. Our strategic partnership with the Gulf has proven to be a useful platform to this end and for stepping up engagement with the region," he stressed.. "We have to work closely with this region on concrete global climate and environmental action, because the region will have an important role to play in the green transition ahead of COP28," stated the EU's foreign policy chief.

Borrell noted that energy has always been central to the relations of the region with Europe. "Now, we are determined to end the European Union's dependence on Russian fossil fuels, while at the same time tackling the climate crisis and increasing our autonomy.

We have already intensified our engagement with oil and gas exporting countries to ensure Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) supplies to Europe and to advocate for an increase in the oil production to ensure affordability to promote energy security and an accelerated energy transition" he said.  Last May, the EU adopted a "strategic partnership "with the Gulf to expand and deepen cooperation between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council and its member states. - KUNA