Arab summit delayed, key states failed the convening of the summit
Regional, Politics, 3/29/2004

The failure of the Arab summit which ended before its beginning in the Tunisian capital constituted a new shock for the Arab nation and its political system. The Arab heads of states summit which was presumed to be open today ( Monday) failed as a result of the sharp differences among the Arab leaders to agree on an agenda for the summit.

However, sides concerned with the Arab affairs considered that the surprising announcement made by Tunisia -- the country which was embarrassed to accept the convening of the summit on its lands -- did not give mention to the real reason which had failed the summit.

Commentators say that Tunisia did not intend to embarrass any of the "key" Arab players.

However, Egypt tried to contain the consequences of the Tunisian "shock announcement" to postponing the convening of the Arab summit which was due today, proposing to host works of the summit in its lands and making necessary consultations for that. A matter which was met by an Arab welcome and Tunisian persistent to host the summit.

While Arab diplomatic sources said yesterday that the summit will be held by the end of April or the beginning of May, Yemen announced that an agreement was made between the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and the Yemeni Ali Abdullah Saleh to that the summit will be held on April 16 after the return back of Mubarak from his visit to Washington during which he will be meeting with the US President George W. Bush.

Egypt had expressed its "wonder and regret over the suddent decision to postpone the summit and the Egyptian Middle East news Agency MENA quoted a statement by the Republic's presidency that Tunisia's decision came as a violation of the "norms adopted by Arab Kings and Presidents on the need to convene the summit conference annually in March every year, regularly in order to withstand responsibilities and challenges imposed on the Arab nation." The statement added that "as the Arab nation faces in this critical moment challenges that can not be ignored or delayed for discussions, the government of Egypt considers it very necessary to convene this summit very quickly in order to discuss issues debated for discussions at the conference in consultations with the Arab leaders." He continued that "Egypt welcomes the convening of the summit conference at the headquarters's state ( Egypt) in the earliest time approved.

While several senior Arab officials were welcoming the Egyptian proposal, another sudden statements was released by the Tunisian foreign ministry announcing Tunisia's cling to host the summit and accused Arab sides of "ignoring the real reasons behind the decision to postpone today's meeting."

The Tunisian minister of state for foreign affairs, Hatem Bin Salem, said in an interview with the Tunisian TV that his country wanted behind postponing the summit to avail more consultations among the Arabs so as to reach a " common ground" that would enable the summit coming up with "decisive decisions." He said that the differences among the Arab foreign ministers were "fatal and fundamental" on the general reforms in the Arab world and reforming the Arab League.

He added that Tunisia " seeks the return back of the negotiations among the states and to convening an emergency meeting for the AL council and then the summit to be convened after that," stressing Tunisia's cling to its right to host the summit.

Oman's minister of state for foreign affairs Youssef Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah said that the Tunisian President Zine al-Abidin Ben Ali will hold during the few coming days contacts with the Arab leaders in order to set a new date for the summit. He defended Tunisia's position be saying that Oman "expresses its appreciation and respect to the decision taken by the Tunisian government, in serving the common interests." The secretary general of the Arab League Amr Moussa welcomed Egypt's readiness to host the Arab summit. He said he will be making his contacts with the Arab officials to define another date and venue for the summit." Moussa added that "most Arab states expressed regret over the postponement decision." On what was rumored on his resignation, Moussa said " I am acting now on how to rescue the Arab homeland and this takes the priority of my thinking and the thinking of any Arab official at the meantime and before I talk about any personal reaction over what had happened ."

The Jordanian king Abdullah II who expressed " regret for the postponement" welcomed the Egyptian proposal and notified the Egyptian president in a telephone call Jordan's approval to convene the postpone Arab summit in Cairo, calling for defining a date for the conference as soon as possible.

The King of Bahrain, Hamad Bin Issa al-Khalifa, welcomed the Egyptian proposal. The Bahrain's News agency said that King Hamad " the current president of the Arab summit " expressed upon receiving a telephone call from Mubarak his welcome of the proposal by Egypt and commending the role played by President Mubarak in serving issues of the Arab nation ."

The Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah who was the first to announce his absence from the summit, received a telephone call from Mubarak. The Saudi official news agency said that Abdullah and Mubarak discussed "bilateral relations between the two countries and developments in the region." Kuwait's prime minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah also expressed regret over postponing the summit, calling for convening it as soon as possible ," but the Kuwaiti foreign minister Sheikh Muhammad Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah said in Tunisia that the "Tunisian decision to postpone the Arab summit is a a Tunisian sovereign decision."

The Syrian Foreign minister Farouk al-Shara welcomed the Egyptian proposal. He said " we welcome any joint Arab effort because the common Arab work is the base for security and stability in the region." Replying to a question on the reasons behind the postponement, he said it is better to "address this question to the Tunisians to know the reasons that made them postpone the summit," expressing regret for the "unjustified and not understood decision." Morocco proposed convening an urgent meeting for the Arab foreign ministers during the two coming weeks for consultations. The Moroccan foreign minister Muhammad Bin Issa said that his country proposed to convene an urgent meeting for the Arab foreign ministers during the two coming weeks for consultations on the current situation."

Previous Stories:
  Moussa: Israel not partner to peace process   (3/27/2004)
  OIC member-states parliament union condemns Yassine killing   (3/27/2004)
  News denied on postponing the Arab summit; Heated discussions for the Arab ministerial meeting in Tunisia over reforms   (3/27/2004)

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