Arab-Latin American Summit to promote economic and political ties
Regional-Latin America, Politics, 5/11/2005

The first Arab-Latin American summit opened in Brasilia Tuesday with the participation of 33 Arab and Latin American countries.

The summit, proposed by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, seeks to augment solidarity between the Arab and Latin American countries in the international circles, particularly the UN Security Council and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The summit also comes as part of rallying efforts of the developing countries and support their rights, particularly those related to the Middle East peace as the summit would discuss issues concerning Palestine, Iraq, the situations in Sudan as well as reforming the UN.

It is expected the summit would lay the ground for a distinguished Arab and Latin American role on the international arena as a bloc with influence in the field of economics and politics in the future given that Arab and Latin American countries have enormous unexploited capabilities and resources and their need to peaceful alliances that guarantee prosperous future away from war alliances and their potential threats and destructions.

Arab diplomats in the Brazilian capital see that the summit would politically support the stances of the Arab states, in their efforts to establish a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East on the basis of the UN resolutions and the establishment of a Palestinian independent state and the Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories back to June 4th 1967 border line.

The diplomats said the summit would also call for freeing the Middle East from nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. It will demand all the parties concerned and the international community to join the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and open their nuclear facilities to international inspection, in obvious reference to Israel, the only party which hasn't so far joined the agreement.

Arab sources stress importance of the summit in reaching a proper mechanism for cooperation and coordination between Arab and Latin American countries through convening regular summits, maybe every two years alternatively, so that this peaceful gathering serves as a future frame in the benefit of the peoples of both sides.

In this regard, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim stressed that he sees no reason for the U.S. to be concerned over this summit which represents Brazil's policy in creating a new trend of cooperation towards a prosperous future and reaching a more fruitful cooperation.

On the sidelines of the summit, an agreement on free trade will be signed between the Gulf states and Latin America. Another trade preferential agreement is due to be signed between Egypt and the common market in Latin America ( MERCOSUR) which groups Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Arab businessmen representing several economic sectors are to take part in the trade and industrial exhibition that hosts 800 Arab and foreign in Sao Paolo, Brazil's industrial and trade capital.

The summit, which comes after a visit by the Brazilian President to five Arab states in January 2003. will also give a new momentum to the trade exchanges between the Arab states and Brazil where 12 million Arabs live.

Meantime, Morocco was unanimously chosen to host the second South American-Arab Summit in 2008.

Previous Stories:
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  Venezuela hopes Arab-Latin summit adopt principle of non-use of force   (4/7/2005)
  Culture can step up historical Arab-Latin American ties, Minister   (3/25/2005)

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