GCC Reaffirms Support for Kuwait on Khor Abdullah Dispute

Asharq Al-Awsat

07-05-2025

Gulf Arab states on Tuesday voiced their full support for Kuwait's position in a maritime border dispute with Iraq, stressing the need for positive progress in demarcation talks and for Baghdad to respect Kuwaiti sovereignty.
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi said the bloc's 47th extraordinary ministerial meeting was held in Riyadh under the chairmanship of Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya, whose country holds the rotating presidency.
The ministers discussed developments concerning the demarcation of the maritime boundary between Kuwait and Iraq beyond border marker 162.
Albudaiwi said Kuwait's foreign minister briefed his counterparts on the latest developments with Iraq and the outcomes of recent discussions on the issue.
In a joint statement, GCC foreign ministers expressed 'the full and unwavering support of member states for Kuwait's position on the maritime boundary demarcation with Iraq.'
They also called for 'positive progress in the ongoing talks and a firm commitment to all protocols agreed by the joint technical and legal committee' on the demarcation process beyond marker 162.
Albudaiwi added that the GCC ministers reaffirmed their categorical rejection of any infringement on Kuwait's sovereignty, including over its territory, islands, highlands, and maritime zones.
GCC ministers also reiterated their firm stance on the ownership of the Durra gas field, reaffirming commitment to previous decisions made during the GCC's 45th summit in December 2024.
The council emphasized that the entire Durra field lies within Kuwait's maritime territory, underscoring that the natural resources in the submerged area adjacent to the divided zone shared between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia – including the Durra field – are jointly owned by the two countries.
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia hold exclusive rights to exploit these resources, in accordance with international law and existing agreements between the two nations.
The GCC's statement further stressed its resolute rejection of any claims by other parties to rights over the Durra field or the submerged area bordering the Kuwait-Saudi divided zone.