00:00Europejskie Council President Antonio Costa
00:02wrapped up his tour of the Gulf in Qatar on Wednesday
00:05saying he came to listen to the leaders at a critical moment
00:08to push for sustainable peace
00:10and to reopen free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
00:14He says the world is entering a dangerous moment
00:16and unless countries defend the international rules-based order
00:19the alternative is chaos we're already seeing from Ukraine to the Gulf.
00:23After meetings across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar
00:26Costa made it clear the European Union
00:28is a reliable partner to the Gulf
00:30to support the region's stability and security.
00:33In an answer to Euronews, he said the EU wants deeper
00:36and stronger cooperation with the Gulf
00:38and that's what he heard from all the leaders.
00:40It's important that the European Union
00:42and the Gulf cooperation countries
00:47could work together
00:51between the EU and the GCC
00:53but also bilaterally with each Gulf state.
00:59And we are keen to do this.
01:00We are negotiating free trade agreements with some of them
01:04so they are in partnership with the others
01:06and we are talking with all of them.
01:09I think more than ever it's very important that we achieve this.
01:14Costa says the economic impact of disrupted shipping
01:17is already being felt worldwide
01:19adding pressure to move quickly.
01:20He said everyone must use the momentum created by the ceasefire
01:24and that European countries are committed to secure safe passage in the region.
01:28It is essential that all parties use the momentum
01:33created by the recent United States-Iran ceasefire
01:38brokered by Pakistan
01:40in order to address the concerns
01:44of the international community regarding Iran.
01:48That means nuclear program, of course
01:52but also its ballistic missile program
01:57Iran's support to proxies destabilizing the region
02:01and the blockage of the international sea lakes.
02:08This war has already had disastrous consequences
02:12that are being felt all over the world
02:16and that will only get worse
02:20with every day without the solution
02:23to this conflict.
02:25Restoring freedom of navigation
02:27in the Strait of Hormuz
02:29is crucial and urgent
02:31and Europe is committed
02:34to help guarantee
02:36the safe and impeded passage of ships.
02:40This is the objective
02:42of the coalition of countries
02:45that France and the United Kingdom
02:48are assembling
02:49with partners around the world.
02:52Costa also warned that Hezbollah
02:54poses an existential threat in Lebanon
02:56saying Iran-backed groups
02:58are destabilizing the region.
03:00He added the European Union supports
03:02Lebanese leadership efforts
03:03to ban the group's military activities
03:05as the only path to long-term stability.
03:08The council president also announced
03:10plans for a second EU-GCC summit
03:13later this year,
03:14this time in the region
03:15saying Gulf partners
03:17can count on the EU's support now
03:18and in the future.
03:20Adil Halim, Euronews, Doha.
03:24The London Union
03:24Thai
03:24The London Union
03:25The London Union
03:25of America
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