Arab ministerial meeting to define position towards the America initiative

An American high ranking source said that the US has received positive stances from leaders of Arab states, implicitly, over the reform initiative proposed recently by Washington. This is, however, at a time when the AL is preparing to convene meetings in Cairo on Monday, in preparations for the Arab summit, expected to be overwhelmed by issues on Iraq and Palestine besides defining the position regarding the American project for changing the " Greater Middle East."

The US under secretary of state for economic and trade affairs Allan Larsen said that he had discussed yesterday in Cairo the American thoughts for reforms with the Egyptian prime minister Atef Obeid and with other senior officials. He also visited Ramullah, occupied Jerusalem, Amman and Riyadh. He said that the reality of this matter ( the American initiative) is to making a better future for the peoples of this region, and therefore in my discussions I had made, I had received very positive reactions towards the basic idea, and I had received a very very valuable advice, that we will take into account."

The Arab foreign ministers will siscuss one ordinary and another extraordinary session from March 1 though 4 in Cairo in order to prepare for the summit of the Arab heads of states due on March 29 and 30 in Tunisia. Sources at the Arab League said that the foreign ministers will submit a political decision on Iraq calling for restoring back sovereignty to Iraq quickly and another one on the Palestinian question condemning the separation wall built by Israel in the West Bank and asks for an international support to resume the negotiations. It is also presumed that the foreign ministers will pave the way for "a deep reform" for the AL hoped by Amr Moussa.

Tunis, however hesitated for a long time to host the Arab summit for fears that it will witness new differences similar to those in Sharm Esh Sheikh one year ago. A high ranking official at the AL said that "Tunis will be, most expectedly the last opportunity for the Arabs to prove that they are able to define a joint policy and to restore back the initiative in withstanding the projects to re-building the greater middle east."

In Riyadh, a Jordanian diplomatic source said that the Jordanian foreign minister Marwan Muasher held yesterday talks with his Saudi counterpart Saudi al-Faisal in preparation for the next ministerial council of the Arab League.