The Press conference held on the sideline of the Beirut's summit
Regional-Israel, Politics, 3/29/2002

The Lebanese minister of foreign affairs and the expatriates Mahmoud Hammoud, the Saudi foreign minister prince Saud al-Faisal and the secretary general of the Arab League (AL) Amr Moussa held a joint press conference at the media center in which they outlined the results of the summit.

The AL chief Amr Moussa read the text of the Arab peace initiative which was issued by the AL council, which stressed that just and comprehensive peace is a strategic option for the Arab states, attained under the international legitimacy and needs an Israeli commitment.

The "initiative" called on Israel to fully pull out from all occupied Arab territories including the occupied Syrian Golan heights until June 4, 1967 border lines and lands that are still under occupations in South Lebanon and rejections of all forms of settling abroad the Palestinian refugees.

The council asked the formation of a special committee including several Arab states concerned, the AL chief in order to make necessary contacts concerning the initiative and to work for supporting it at all levels especially the UN, the UN Security Council, the US, Federal Russia and the European Union as well as the Islamic countries.

Replying to questions put by journalists, the Saudi foreign minister prince Saud al-Faisal said that Beirut's summit is one of the most successful Arab summit and that the Saudi initiative has become an Arab initiative, and that the case between Iraq and Kuwait and the new developments eased the conditions. al-Faisal said:"If Israel wants peace and seeks peace, it can not keep the lands and ask for peace and if it wants security it has to pull out from the occupied Arab territories and to restore the legitimate rights of the Palestinian Arab people."

Al-Faisal stressed that the Arab initiative is pertinent to a clear equilibrium and Israel has to respond to Arab principles which provide for withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories according to a just solution and accepting the foundation of a Palestinian state.

Al-Faisal explained that: comprehensive peace and the return back of the territories is the main equilibrium.

The Saudi foreign minister indicated that the Saudi crown prince will discuss during his forthcoming visit to Washington with the US President George Bush the Middle East question.

On the other hand, the Lebanese foreign minister renewed Lebanon's rejection to settling the Palestinians. He said that the just solution for the Palestinian refugees is their return back to their territories. He stressed that the Arab summit followed up what is taking place on the Palestinian territories and the Israeli siege of our people in Palestine. He indicated that the Arab leaders have expressed in their statement their support and backing to the steadfastness mounted by the Palestinian people.

For his part, the AL chief Amr Moussa stressed that the Arab initiative will not be reactivated unless accepted by Israel.

Previous Stories:
  Beirut summit, a successful model for Arab summits, Moroccan FM   (3/28/2002)
  Moroccan association for support to Palestinians calls Arab leaders to back Intifada   (3/28/2002)
  Al-Assad reiterates commitment to just and comprehensive peace   (3/28/2002)
  Maher confirms reaching formula to settle Iraq-Kuwait issue   (3/28/2002)
  Moussa: Arabs to back ME land-for-peace plan in Beirut   (3/20/2002)

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