UK hosts 40-country Strait of Hormuz meeting
REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Britain hosted a summit with 40 countries to discuss
restoring shipping through the Strait
of Hormuz and addressing Iran’s blockade, the UK government said
on April 2.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper chaired the meeting, which included officials from 40 countries and key international organizations, including the International Maritime Organization and the European Union.
“This meeting showed clearly the determination of the international community to secure freedom of navigation and re-open the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz is a direct threat to global prosperity,” the statement said.
Reuters, citing European officials, reported the summit focused on which countries might join a proposed coalition and on diplomatic and economic options to persuade the Iranian regime to stop blocking the strait.
“Although the meeting ended without any specific agreements, there was a consensus Iran should not be able to introduce transit fees on ships using the waterway and all nations should be able to use it freely, one of the officials said,” the news agency wrote.
British officials said military planners will meet next week
to consider options, including possible demining of the Strait of Hormuz and
deploying naval assets to protect commercial shipping.
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