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Arab Summit Meeting Opens
by Tareq Ayyoub
AMMAN, March 27 (IslamOnline) - Arab leaders on Tuesday opened their first regular Arab League summit since 1990-91 in a bid to end political differences among themselves, including the ending of a decade-old feud between Kuwait and Iraq following the 1990-91 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
Ahead of the opening session, Arab foreign ministers ended a two-day debate over the agenda of the summit but failed to reach an agreement on what is being termed the "Iraqi-Kuwait position".
While the summit's political agenda includes a set of topics addressing the Palestinian cause, the aftermath of the Lockerbie trial, and the crisis in West Sahara, the economic file includes the creation of a free trade agreement among Arab states and financing joint projects, especially in the areas of gas, electricity and energy ventures.
But the thorny issue the summit will tackle is an Iraqi endeavor to lift 10 years of economic sanctions levied on the country by the U.N., a request that receives some opposition from Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
King Abdullah of Jordan urged Arab leaders to put aside their differences and unify their ranks to enable them to face other challenges confronting them.
"The Arab people seek solidarity and a framework of cooperation than can build on common denominators and areas of agreement, resolve contentious issues and give priority to common Arab interests," Abdullah said in his opening speech.
"World developments present many challenges and have led to the emergence of economic blocs that seek to direct globalism to serve their interests," he added.
The Jordanian monarch said that Arabs should extend all necessary assistance to Palestinians to enable them to establish an independent state.
"The Palestinian people have been suffering tremendously for over a century. They struggled in defense of their rights and for their occupied land with all possible means," Abdullah said.
"We have to stand by them. We have to provide them with every possible support and assistance that enable them to regain their full rights," he added.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who handed over the Presidency of the League to Abdullah, said his country is ready to host an economic conference next November aimed at the reactivation of trade cooperation among Arab states.
Syrian President Bashar Assad, meanwhile, launched strong criticism against Israel saying Israelis are "not only racists, but also Nazis."
Assad said that Arabs should reconsider their peace strategy with Israel in order to force Tel Aviv to relinquish all lands it has seized during its wars with Arabs.
Ahead of the summit, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said that he is expected to meet with Iraqi officials in New York in March in a bid to reach a breakthrough between the two sides over the lifting of the sanctions.
Annan, who arrived here to attend the two-day Arab summit, said he discussed with deputy chairman of Iraq's Revolutionary Council, Ezzat Ibrahim, the "possibility" of holding such a meeting.
"I have briefed Mr. Ezzat Ibrahim on my meeting with [Iraq's foreign ministers] Mohammad Saeed Sahaf earlier this year," Annan told Iraqi Television following his meeting with the Iraqi official.
"We are trying to break the ice and reach a breakthrough to the deadlock," the U.N. official added.
Earlier this year, Sahaf met with Annan in New York and discussed with him Iraq's demand to lift the sanctions, imposed on Iraq following its 1990-91 invasion of Kuwait.
Iraq has repeatedly called for immediate lifting of sanctions.
In his opening speech to the summit, Abdullah urged Arabs to end the suffering imposed by the sanctions on Iraq by lifting the embargo that has been responsible for the deaths of more than 1.5 million Iraqis over the past 10 years.
"As for our brethren in Iraq, its inconceivable suffering has gone on for far too long. It is time to end this suffering, and to lift the embargo on Iraq," Abdullah said.
"This Arab country has always been at the forefront of the nation in defending its causes and rights. It has never failed to respond to the calls of duty, sacrifice and brotherhood," he added.
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