Arab League, UN contacts on the Arab initiative; Moussa warns from peace conference
Regional, Politics, 5/6/2002

The Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa said he will be meeting with the Saudi foreign minister prince Saud al-Faisal who will arrive in Cairo tomorrow to discuss reports on the results of the Saudi crown prince's recent visit to Washington and to hold consultations on the meeting of the peace initiative committee due to be held at the level of the foreign ministers within the two coming days.

In a press conference he held on Sunday in Cairo at the headquarters of the Arab league, Moussa noted that there are intensive contacts with the UN concerning the Arab initiative and revitalizing the Arab summit's proposals to this effect.

On the significance of convening an international conference on peace, Moussa said that convening such a conference suffers from various contradictions in statements made by several sides on its content and whether it will be held at the ministerial level or it will be a meeting to agree on further steps. He said the Arab position will be based on be decided based on a number of factors representing key demands. Moussa stressed that with Israeli rejection to comply with international resolutions, it would be difficult for the Arabs to resume negotiations with Israel.

Moussa, on the other hand, presided over the committee formed in charge of following up on the situation in Somalia with the participation of representatives from Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Oman, Libya, Egypt and Yemen as well as Somalia.

The committee discussed the report of the Arab League (AL) chief on the current situation on the Somali arena and the efforts made by the AL general secretariat with regional and international organizations concerned to coordinate efforts aiming at achieving the completion of Somali reconciliation and unity in Somalia, restoring stability, security and peace to Somalia.

The AL chief also reviewed results of his contacts and meetings with the President of Somalia Abdul Qasem Salad, with President Omar Jele, President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Ethiopia's prime minister Meles Zenawi; on the sideline of IGAD's summit which was held in al-Khartoum. The AL chief also informed members of the committee about his special decision to appoint ambassador Salem Bin Muhammad al-Khuseibi, Oman's former permanent representative at the UN as a special envoy for the AL chief to Somalia in order to follow up the Somali issue with its various aspects, including necessary contacts on the Somali arena in coordination with the provisional government. The mission also includes coordination with the neighboring states and with regional and international organizations concerned especially the Organization of African Unity and IGAD.

The committee recommended to provide financial support of $ 56 million to Somalia as approved by the recent Beirut Arab summit and the AL member states to pay their contributions according to their shares at the AL general secretariat to the account for supporting Somalia very soon, and for the special envoy to give a report to the AL chief on his mission mentioned above so as to be debated to the committee's meeting at the ministerial level and also at the AL council next session to be held in September, 2002.

Previous Stories:
  Moussa: Iraq will return back archives and documents for Kuwait   (5/4/2002)
  Ruler of Qatar to tour 6 countries   (5/4/2002)
  Peace initiative committee meets next week   (5/3/2002)
  Draft resolution demands Israeli cooperation   (5/2/2002)
  The Beirut Arab Summit declaration   (3/29/2002)
  Makadishu: two persons were killed in an attack at a house of minister   (3/12/2002)

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