Egypt, UAE and Bahrain on Monday expressed their “full support and solidarity” with Saudi Arabia, and their categorical rejection of “politicizing” the OPEC+ group’s decision to reduce oil production.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its Facebook page: “Egypt is closely following with interest the echoes of the recent decision issued by OPEC+, and the tensions that arose around it.”
“Egypt supports the position expressed by Saudi Arabia in explaining the technical considerations of the OPEC+ Plus decision, as it aims primarily to achieve oil market discipline, and to ensure strengthening the ability of the international community to deal with the current economic challenges.”
UAE and Bahrain join the fray
The UAE also announced its “support for the statement of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding reviewing the conditions of the oil markets and reducing production,” noting that “the decision is collective and came based on the vote of the OPEC+ group and within these considerations,” according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that “the UAE, as a member of the group and a partner of Saudi Arabia, stresses the technical nature of the decision, and rejects statements that push for its politicization.”
The ministry stressed the “necessity of constructive dialogue that serves the interests of all countries.”
“The UAE stands fully with Saudi Arabia in its efforts to support energy stability and security, in a manner that achieves the interests of producers and consumers, and promotes economic growth and development in the world,” it stressed.
In Bahrain, the Foreign Ministry expressed the kingdom’s “Full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, and its categorical refusal to politicize the decision of the OPEC+ group or consider it as bias in international conflicts,” according to the Bahrain News Agency.
In a statement, the Bahraini Foreign Ministry expressed “Bahrain’s appreciation for the wise policy of Saudi Arabia and its balanced initiatives to consolidate security and peace in the region and the world, and to support global economic stability and balance in the international oil market.”
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz affirmed that his kingdom is working to “Support the stability and balance of global oil markets”, amid escalating tension with the US and its threats to take measures against Saudi Arabia after the decision of the OPEC+ group to reduce oil production.
US warns of consequences
The Saudi government on Thursday expressed its “Total rejection of statements that are not based on facts, and rely primarily on an attempt to portray the OPEC+ decision outside its purely economic framework, a decision that was taken unanimously by all OPEC Plus countries.”
US President Joe Biden, in an interview with CNN, promised Saudi Arabia “Consequences for what they did with Russia,” referring to the decision of the OPEC+ group.
