The GCC Secretary General underscored the importance of no-repetition of post-Iraq-invasion 2003 mistakes, noting that there would be no permanent solution in Iraq without the enforcement of a comprehensive national government which distances itself from the foreign influence of the country's eastern neighbor which, seeks to extend its leverage in the region. He suggested that the Palestinian issue and the Israeli occupation of Palestine, a problem lasting since 1948, is the major cause of all kinds of violence, making the Palestinian issue the Arab countries main priority and necessitating new and continuous efforts to revive the two-state solution. He also noted that a number of peace initiatives have been foiled, sometimes because of a lack of confidence and other times because of deliberate plotting, citing that the United Nations and other mediators have failed in reaching a settlement to this problem. He explained that reaching a permanent and fair settlement of the Palestinian problem would become necessary so that the region would enjoy a better future and steady stability. Dr. Al-Zayani said the countries of the Middle East would remain an integral part of the world community and continue to be influenced by international pressures and, as was the case in the past, are going to rely on the United Nations good offices. He expressed hope that the United Nations would reconsider its methodology and whether the Security Council's veto-holder members would continue to keep the grasp on their national interests in the region, neglecting the United Nations resolutions or slowly moving or, mostly, not moving at all. The GCC Secretary General called for the creation of a new and effective mechanism that enables the Arab countries to address their concerns and issues within concerted understanding and solidarity to confront the current and future challenges. --SPA 00:44 LOCAL TIME 21:44 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w