Arab group urges Saudi Arabia to continue leading role within UNSC

The Arab Group has reiterated "respect and understanding" to Saudi Arabia's positions regarding a Security Council non-permanent seat, but urged Riyadh to continue its leading role from within the UNSC, especially concerning Arab and Islamic causes. This came in a statement issued Saturday by the Arab Group which met at the level of permanent representatives last night under chairmanship of Bahrain, during which they discussed the Saudi foreign ministry's statement last week in which it did not accept its UNSC non-permanent seat. Kuwait proposed the statement to the Arab Group last week during a meeting of the GCC Ambassadors to the UN. The envoys approved the proposed statement and referred it to the Arab Group. The Arab Group appreciates the position of Saudi Arabia which plays a leading and effective role in the UN, said the statement, and urged Riyadh to continue its "effective and critical" role in the UNSC "being the best to represent the Arab and Islamic nations in this important and sensitive phase of the Middle East." The Arab Group also emphasized the "principled and courageous" role of Saudi Arabia within the UNSC, added the statement