Arab follow up committee refuses the American proposals
Regional-Israel, Politics, 1/5/2001

The Arab follow up committee in charge of implementing the resolutions of the Arab summit held its meeting on Thursday in Cairo with the participation of the foreign ministers of Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Morocco, Bahrain and Palestine, the secretary general of the Arab League and the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat.

In an intervention he made, the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara stressed commitment to the return back of all occupied Arab territories including Jerusalem and the Golan and all the Palestinian territories up to June 4, 1967 border lines without giving up or violating the Arab rights and lands.

Al-Shara added that no body can give up Jerusalem because of the Christian, Islamic and Arab dimensions it implies, stressing the right of the Palestinian people to return back home.

Al-Shara stressed that a just and comprehensive solution in the region requires Israel's implementation of UN resolutions concerned and its adherence to the land for peace principle.

The Syrian foreign minister said that the mission of the Arab follow up committee is to back the Palestinian Intifada and to help its continuity so as to attain its set objectives.

He warned against the results of the " losing game in the last quarter of an hour of the term of office of the US President Bill Clinton and under a resigned Israeli government."

Al-Shara stressed Syria's "unwavering stand to backing the Palestinian Intifada and preserve the missions of the follow up committee to implement the resolutions of the Arab summit."

Meantime, the secretary general of the Arab league (AL) Ismat Abdul Miguid stressed that the Arab follow up committee which met on Thursday in Cairo stressed Arab adherence to peace of solid foundations and denounced the aggressive acts conducted by Israel against the Palestinian people.

In a statement to the BBC The AL chief explained that the committee did not agree the American proposals debated by the American President whose term of office is expiring to make a settlement between the palestinian Authority and Israel.

For his part, the Egyptian foreign minister Amr Moussa announced that the Arab follow up committee has stressed unanimously the Arab principles towards the Arab identity of Jerusalem, the return back of the palestinian refugees to their homeland, resolutions approved by the UN. He noted the connection and adherence between the Arab identity of Jerusalem and the return back of the Palestinian refugees.

In a joint press conference with Abdul Miguid, Moussa added in conclusion of the committee's meetings on Thursday that this committee has stressed a just and comprehensive solution on all tracks, based on Israel 'c complete withdrawal from Jerusalem, the occupied Golan heights and all palestinian territories up to June 4, 1967 border lines and the already still occupied parts of south lebanon.

Moussa warned Israel against the attempt to impose its conditions on the Palestinian side. He said that reaching an unbalanced settlement will not be lasting, noting that Israel's conception of a Palestinian state is that to be a state in form and in the name only.

Moussa also refused the Israeli threats to launch a comprehensive war against the Arab states, stressing that such threats create atmospheres of tension but will not frighten the Arabs.

Moussa explained that Lebanon has the whole right to refuse settling the Palestinians and the solution is to implement their right to return back.

On Thursday afternoon, al-Shara returned back from Cairo.

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