Excerpts from Khartoum Declaration
Regional, Politics, 3/30/2006

The just-concluded Arab Summit on Wednesday adopted the Khartoum Declaration in which the Arab leaders stressed that a just and comprehensive peace in the region cannot be established except with total Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, including the Syrian Golan till June 4th 1967.

The Declaration called for Israeli full withdrawal from the remaining occupied territories in South Lebanon, and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as capital as well as the solution of the Palestinian refugees problem as stated by the UN General Assembly resolution No.194.

The Declaration also expressed full solidarity with sisterly Syria regarding the US unilateral sanctions against her, considering the so-called "Syria Accountability Act" as an obvious violation of international law principles and the UN resolutions.

It appreciated Syria's stance in calling for adopting the language of dialogue and diplomacy as a mean of understanding and solving disputes among countries.

The Declaration also voiced standing by Lebanon and her right to practice its own political choices within constitutional institutions, expressing support to the Lebanese national dialogue.

It also underlined Lebanon's legitimate right in restoring its occupied territories which are still under the Israeli occupation in the South.

The Declaration also called for revealing the truth about the crime that claimed the lives of Lebanese ex-premier Rafiq al-Hariri and his companions.

The Declaration decided to continue offering financial support to the Palestinian National Authority in accordance with the mechanism agreed on in Beirut Summit 2002.

The Arab leaders said they will keep contributing in supporting the Funds of al-Aqsa and al-Quds in order to boost the Palestinian economy and enhance its self-independence as well as separate it from the Israeli economy.

The Declaration hailed the democratic process in Palestine and honesty of the Palestinian elections and voiced full support to the Palestinian Authority and endeavor to maintain national unity away from any foreign intervention.

The Declaration reiterated solidarity with the Iraqi people, calling for maintaining Iraq's territorial integrity, non-interference in its internal affairs and accelerating the formation of the new Iraqi government.

It condemned the terrorist acts perpetrated against the religious places in Iraq, calling on different segments of the Iraqi people to commit themselves to the national unity and to defend their security and stability.

The Arab Summit called on the Iranian government to withdraw from the three occupied Arab islands of Tanb Kubra, Tanb Sughra and Abu Moussa and return them to the United Arab Emirates sovereignty, thus maintaining Arab-Iranian fraternal relations, expressing appreciation over the UAE stance in resorting to peaceful means to restore them.

The Summits Declaration welcomed the signature of the comprehensive peace agreement in Sudan and the steps taken to carry it out, calling all relevant regional and international parties to work for establishing security and stability in Sudan.

It also promised to offer support and aid to rebuild south Sudan, inviting the international community and the donor countries to fulfill their promises in enhancing the overall development in it.

The Declaration appealed the Sudanese parties who are taking part in the peace negotiations on Darfur to double efforts to reach a final and overall agreement for the crisis.

It stressed support and cooperation with the African Union in dealing with Darfur crisis, monitoring ceasefire there, asserting that sending any other forces to Darfur requests an approval in advance from the Sudanese government.

It expressed willingness to increase the Arab-African forces in the African Union forces.

It calls for deepening cooperation and dialogue among countries and peoples of the world, and reminded that respect of religious sacred places and symbols serves as a main factor in building bridges of confidence among countries.

The Declaration stressed vehement rejection of any abuse against the Prophet Muhammad or any religions and their symbols, and calls on the UN to enact laws and legislation that prohibit abusing the religions.

The Declaration also condemned all forms of terrorism, describing the crimes perpetrated by terrorist groups as serious violations of basic human rights and continued threat to the countries' national safety, security and stability.

It called for holding an international conference under the supervision of the United Nations to put down a definition of the terrorism and avoid any ambiguity or mixture between Islam and terrorism and differentiate between terrorism and the right of people to resist occupation.

The Arab leaders decided to ask the Ministerial Arab League Council to study the idea presented by President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt to hold an Arab consultative summit between the two regular Arab summits to consider latest developments and coordinate stances.

Previous Stories:
  Arab Summit rejects Olmert's plan to demarcate the Israeli borders   (3/30/2006)
  The Khartoum Arab Summit declaration   (3/30/2006)
  Qathafi: Arab states side with the enemy   (3/30/2006)
  New Human Rights Commission to meet June 19   (3/28/2006)
  Minister: Syria works effectively to make Arab summit a success   (3/28/2006)
  Ten Arab leaders absent from Arab summit   (3/28/2006)

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