Maher, AL chief confer with Moratinos

Egypt's foreign minister Ahmad Maher yesterday in Cairo met with the EU- ME peace special envoy, who during the meeting called for revitalizing the Arab initiative which was approved at the Beirut Arab summit, so that "the road map" proposed by the Quartet committee will be "a mechanism for implementing it."

Replying to Moratinos's comment, Maher said that there is a "Package of basic references for the peace efforts," noting that the "road map" draws steps to achieve a Palestinian state." He also added that "the Arab initiative includes Israel's withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories. An element we could include in the road map."

Meantime, the secretary general of the Arab League Amr Moussa who also met with Moratinos yesterday considered that "the international community loose stand towards Israel makes the mechanism of the international community loose all credibility."

Moussa explained that the "International community which take a tough position concerning the accusations addressed to Iraq to violating UN resolutions should take the same tough measure concerning the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people."