Arafat says Agadir declaration reflects Arab-Islamic support to palestinian issue

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said Sunday the latest meeting of Al-Quds Committee--held on August 28 in Agadir (Morocco) under the chairmanship of King Mohammed VI-- perfectly reflects the Arab-Islamic support to the Palestinian issue.

In a speech he delivered at the 114th ordinary session of the Arab League, the Palestinian president hailed the "realistic outcome" of Agadir's meeting which saw for the first time the participation of representatives from the orthodox church together with Muslims.

The Agadir statement released at the end of the 18th session of Al-Quds committee, an offshoot of the Organization of Islamic conference, set up in 1975 to defend the Arab and Islamic identity of the holy city, renewed the committee's support to the Palestinian people and insisted on their right to proclaim an independent and sovereign state with Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital.

Participants from the committee 16 member-countries, together with secretary general of the OIC, representatives of Muslims theologians and the orthodox church of the city, also stressed the need to strive for an end to Israeli practices and measures which are contrary to international legality and to agreements signed between Palestinians and Israelis.