AL chief welcomes Arab five-member summit

Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid has welcomed the call advocated by Egypt to convene a five-member Arab summit in which Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine would take part during the coming phase.

In a statement he made in Cairo on Sunday the AL chief expressed his hope for the success of Arab efforts aimed at convening a five-member Arab summit in that it might be an introduction for a more comprehensive and vaster solidarity, for strengthening the Arab stand amid developments in the region and in light of the results of the recent Israeli elections.

The AL chief explained that the intensive efforts and meetings exerted in the meantime by Arab kings and leaders are all part of the efforts to serve Arab solidarity and coordinate stances in the coming phase. He stressed in this regard that the message President Mubarak sent to his "brother President Hafez Al-Assad" underlines the importance of meetings which come in the context of common Arab efforts aimed at coordinating stances concerning recent developments in the region.

He added that these meetings aim at reviving the Middle East peace process.