The Arab top diplomats failed to reach a common ground (AFP)

TUNIS, March 28 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Tunisia stunned Arab foreign ministers Saturday night, March 27, by calling off the Arab summit it was to host Monday.

Tunisia's secretary of state for foreign affairs Hatem ben Salem said his government “strongly regrets” postponing indefinitely a summit on which the Arabs and the international community have “pinned great hopes”, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Ben Salem cited the context of “recent tragic developments,” an allusion to Israel's assassination last week of Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmad Yassin in Gaza City, which has stirred outrage worldwide not only against Israel but also over the Arab failure to defend the Palestinians.

He also argued that the unprecedented move resulted from failure to include Tunisian changes to a plan on Arab political reform.

An official English translation of a statement read by ben Salem cited “differences” over proposals Tunisia had presented that “it considers substantial and of great importance as to the process of development, modernization and reform in our Arab countries.”

The amendments were a “means to consolidate the steps toward democratic progress, protection of human rights, the consolidation of status of women, the role of civil society, etc.,” according to the statement.

A statement distributed later by the Tunisian news agency said Tunis was bothered that the initial draft resolution on reform did not “mention democracy ... and the fight against terrorism”.

Since the Arab League was founded 57 years ago, never has a host country called off a summit during high-level preparations for it.

Rejected

Angry Moussa (C) leaves the Arab foreign ministers meeting

The postponement not only dumbfounded the top diplomats but they also rejected Tunisia's explanation for it and said they were at a loss over the real reason behind it.

An Arab foreign minister, speaking on condition he not be named, said not only were his colleagues “astonished” by Tunisia's unprecedented decision, but they also rejected its explanation.

“We had reached the last phrase of the document on Arab reforms and, contrary to what Tunisia claims, the remarks and amendments it proposed were included in the document by the drafting committee,” the minister told AFP.

Another Arab foreign minister said Tunisia was withholding the real reasons for its decision.

Jordanian foreign minister Marwan Moasher said now Arab governments “must agree quickly on an early date and place to hold the summit”.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa had told a press conference that he expected the foreign ministers to overcome their differences and settle on a formula for reform to submit to the summit, despite admitting debate had been “stormy” at times.

Asked by reporters following the Tunisian decision whether he thought of a resignation, Moussa said “no comment”.

The first hint of trouble emerged at an informal gathering of the ministers Thursday, March 25, when certain delegates suggested the summit might be postponed.

It was a possibility that gained credibility from a Saudi announcement that Crown Prince Abdullah, the de-facto Saudi ruler, would not attend the summit.

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika also told the Al-Arabiya satellite television network that he had heard officially that some countries wanted the summit to be postponed.

On Friday, March 26, Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese diplomats opposed a reform plan because they insisted the conflict with Israel should take top billing at the summit, especially after Yassin’s assassination.

Tunisia had for months been reticent about holding the summit amid fears Arab leaders would fail to halt the bickering that marred previous summits.

AFP quoted analysts as saying that many Arab governments had wanted to use the summit to draft their own reform plan for fear the United States will impose its own initiative that will ultimately lead to their ouster.

“Those governments may be pursuing cosmetic changes just to stay in power, though they hold out the possibility that talk of political change will take on momentum of its own,” the analysts believed.

The United States had hoped Arab leaders might agree on a common reform plan during their summit, while insisting the Greater Middle East Initiative it expects to unveil at a G8 summit in June was not an attempt to impose its own ideas for democratic change.