Arab foreign ministers hold meeting in preparation for the upcoming Arab Summit in Jeddah

The Arab foreign ministers’ preparatory meeting for the Arab Summit, which is scheduled to be held on Friday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, started on Wednesday with the participation of the Syrian delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Al-Mikdad.

In his opening speech, the Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmad Attaf said that the meeting is being held within special regional circumstances and amid fast international developments that necessitate continuous work to join efforts and unify the Arab stance with the aim of overcoming the challenges.

He said that the current developments in the world and the signs of forming a new balance of powers must push us to explore means of adaptation with these developments and to contribute, as a group, to forming the features of a system of international relations based on the principles of equal sovereignty of countries, equal security and balanced mutual interests.

He went on to say that the meeting is an opportunity to stress the inevitability of accelerating the process of reforming, modernizing and consolidating joint Arab action as a response to the massive challenges facing the Arabs.

“Algeria hopes that Jeddah Arab Summit will be a renewed opportunity for exerting more efforts to win the bet on joint Arab action and explore its promising prospects through enhancing the elements that brings the Arab together and neutralizing the elements that divide them,” Attaf said.

“In this regard, Algeria greatly welcomes resuming Syria’s participation in the Arab League meetings and appreciates the steps that were taken to strengthen Arab relations with Syria with the aim of collectively working to find a solution to the crisis in the country,” he added.

On the situation in Palestine and the Israeli occupation systematic criminal attacks on Al-Quds, Gaza Strip and the West Bank necessitate from the Arabs to double their efforts and work to enable the Palestinian people to restore their rights, mainly the right to establish their independent state with Al-Quds as its capital.

For His part, the Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan Bin Abdullah Al Saud, who was handed over the chairmanship of the session from his Algerian counterpart, also welcomed Syria’s participation in the meeting, affirming that the current challenges facing world put the Arabs at a crossroads where unified work to enhance joint Arab action is a must to face these challenges and find suitable solutions that attain security, stability and welfare to the entire Arab region.

Bin Farhan went on to say that the Arab region is rich in human resources and natural wealth which puts the Arabs in front of a challenge to use all the available tools and reactivate new work innovations in inter-Arab relations to serve the interests of all the Arab countries and away from foreign interference.

The Arab League Secretary General Ahmad Abul Geit, for his part, hoped that Syria’s return to the League is a prelude to end its crisis and restore its vividness and important presence in joint Arab action.

“Syria has played a remarkable cultural role in the region throughout history and it is one of the founders of the Arab League,” Abul Geit said, pointing out that all the member states are looking forward to consolidating Syria’s role and presence.

Abul Geit went on to say that the world is witnessing conflicts that confuse international economy and add burdens on many countries in terms of maintaining security or having access to resources, particularly energy and food. This matter, he clarified, necessitates from the Arabs to enhance stick to their adherence to national interest and to work as one bloc that has a unified stance.

Abul Geit express hope that the Arab summit will come up with some decisions that meet the aspirations of Arab peoples and that provides Arab solutions to Arab problems.

In a press statement following the preparatory meeting of Arab foreign ministers, Al-Mikdad  said that the Arabs welcome the Syrian role and that there were no differences over issues related to Syria.

“All the projects and laws presented during the meeting reflected our views to overcome the crisis and respect the role played by Syria at the regional and international levels” Al-Mikdad pointed out, noting that Syria welcomes any Arab role that supports joint Arab action.

“We look forward to having an effective Arab role  in helping the Syrian refugees return to their country, and there is no doubt that the reconstruction process will facilitate the return of these refugees”, Al-Mikdad added.

Concluding his statement, Al-Mikdad thanked Saudi Arabia for the role it has played during the past months to activate joint Arab action.

Hamda Mustafa