MOSCOW, October 18. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Jaber al·Sabah emphasized the need to find ways to de·escalate tensions in the Persian Gulf region as soon as possible, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"The ministers exchanged views on the current issues on the international and regional agenda, with a focus on the situation in the Persian Gulf region, and emphasized the need to find ways to quickly de·escalate tensions in this strategically important area of the world," the ministry said in a statement after the meeting of the parties on the sidelines of a ministerial session of the Russia-Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf (GCC) strategic dialogue.
"It was noted that there is no alternative to resolving the existing disagreements through political and diplomatic means, with unconditional respect for the interests of all countries in the region involved in the conflict," the Russian Foreign Ministry added.
The heads of the foreign policy departments also discussed issues related to further development of the traditionally friendly Russian·Kuwaiti relations. "We confirmed the mutual commitment of Moscow and Kuwait to maintaining an intensive political dialogue and strengthening mutually beneficial trade, economic, and cultural·humanitarian cooperation," the Russian ministry concluded.
The Gulf Cooperation Council is a regional organization comprising six countries: Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. The organization’s goal is to expand cooperation among the member countries in all areas and to develop common positions on key international and regional issues. The GCC charter states that its members are "united by a common historical and cultural development and a similarity of political systems" (all member countries are monarchies).