Moussa: Arab summit has to make firm decisions
Regional, Politics, 3/25/2004

The Arab summit will settle many critical issues, Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Amr Moussa told reporters yesterday.

"We are not in a position today to hesitate, and we have to make firm decisions," Moussa said.

Arab foreign ministers would be meeting in Tunis today in preparation for the summit, prior to the ministerial meeting organised by the AL General Secretariat to review proposals for reform, he added.

One issue that will have to be dealt with at this summit is the League's budget, namely the 49 per cent deficit recorded last year, he said, adding that if this is not paid up, AL reform would be simply a theory.

The assassination of Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin would also be discussed, Moussa added, noting that the emphasis of this summit was originally intended to be on Arab reform along with Western and American proposals to that end.

The AL chief voiced fears that talking with the current Israeli terrorist government would be of little use.

"Under this government, Israel is not a partner in the peace process," he said, adding that the Israelis' claim that the Palestinians were terrorists made no sense.

As for whether this summit would call on the US to intervene to push forward the peace process, Moussa said this was possible.

Concerning Arab-American dialogue, facilitated by such institutions as the Detroit Forum, Moussa said a similar forum would be held in 2005, but "it depends on whether AL member states pay their dues to the League.

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