UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres during the press conference

Kuwait most effective, probable mediator - UN chief

20/06/2017

NEW YORK-- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed his full support to Kuwait's mediation initiative in the complex Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) situation.

In a press conference held at the UN headquarters, the UN chief expressed concern over the situation, believing that there should be a "regional solution." "I have followed particularly the efforts of mediation by Kuwait, and I express my support to the Kuwait mediation initiative," he said.

Guterres told the press that he thinks what Kuwait is doing "is the most useful way," and for the UN to cooperate in trying to address a situation that is complex, the leadership should be a "regional leadership." "My main concern has been is to try to push for a regional solution and what I have considered as most effective and probable mediator has been Kuwait that has my full support," he added.

When asked about intervention of other countries to the conflict in order to solve it, he said if countries or entities who have leverage over the parties to the conflict can help, then obviously their efforts will always be welcomed. "I don't think the UN has a leverage over the parties to the conflict that makes our direct intervention more effective than the support of Kuwaiti mediation," Guterres stressed.