Egypt welcomes Saudi initiative

Prime Minister Atef Ebeid, who leads the Egyptian delegation at the Arab summit conference which opened Wednesday, said that Egypt supports the Saudi initiative "because it affirms Arab constant principles and combines between right and justice."

In his speech before the second working session of the Arab summit conference Wednesday evening, Ebeid said:

"We are ready to establish normal relations with Israel within the framework of overall peace if Israel withdrew from occupied territories to the 1967 borders, gave back land of the west bank and Gaza strip and the right of Palestinian refugees to return was recognized."

Ebeid said it was necessary to strengthen Arab solidarity and the mechanism of common Arab action.

"The Arab nation has huge potentials," he said.

He denounced Israel's repressive measures against the Palestinian people and said that in spite of American and European efforts to stop the escalation of violence in Palestinian territories, the path of peace continues to be fraught with dangers in the absence of an Israeli will to seek peace.