Arab Foreign Ministers conclude 130th session

Cairo, September 09, SPA -- Arab foreign ministers reaffirmed the
Arab commitment to just and comprehensive peace as a strategic option
and that the peace process is a comprehensive process that can not be
fragmented and that a just peace in the region can be achieved only
through a full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian and
Arab territories including the Golan Heights up to 4th of June 1967
parallel and from the territories still occupied in southern Lebanon.

The Arab Foreign Ministers Council which concluded its 130 Meeting
in Cairo last night under the chairmanship of Prince Saud Al-Faisal,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
underscored the importance of reaching a just and agreed upon
solution to the Palestinian refugees problem in accordance with UN
General Assembly resolution No. 194 of 1948 and establishing an
independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Al-Quds as its
capital, according to the Arab peace initiative reaffirmed by
Damascus and Riyadh summits.

Arab Foreign Ministers conclude 130th session 2 Cairo

The Arab foreign ministers affirmed in the final communiqué released
here today that Palestine is a full partner in the peace process and
the need for continued support of the Palestine Liberation
Organization in the ongoing negotiations on final status issues and
that Gaza Strip and West Bank including East Al-Quds are as one
integral geographical base for the estalishment of a Palestinian
state and that all attempts to fragment the unity of the Palestinian
territories are categorically rejected, noting the important role
played by Arab peace initiative Commission and undercoring the
importance of its continuing efforts according to plan and the
political framework set by the Commission on Peace Initiative.

The Arab ministers called on all States that had participated in
Annapolis, Paris, Berlin conferences especially the American side to
exercise pressure on Israel to halt settlements immediately and to
deal seriously with the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations to reach
agreement on all final status issues, noting the importance to launch
direct negotiations on all tracks to end the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Regarding the internal Palestinian affairs, the Arab foreign
ministers stressed their respect to the Palestinian national
legitimacy headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, and to the legitimate
institutions of the Palestinian Authority, including the Legislative
Council and called for the return of the situation in the Gaza Strip
to pre-June 2007 in order to create the conditions for launching a
national dialogue and achieving a national reconciliation and
reaffirmed the unity of the Palestinian territories in the West Bank,
Gaza and East Al-Quds.

The Arab Foreign Ministers warned against continuing status quo in
Palestine, which negatively affects the Palestinian people's
struggle, lending full support for the Egyptian efforts to end
Palestinian state of division.

Based on a proposal from Saudi Arabia, the Ministers authorized the
Arab Group to the United Nations to monitor the positions of
countries that oppose or impede the issuance of international
resolutions adopted by the international legitimacy.

The Arab ministers condemned Israel's confiscation, stealing and
illegal exploitation of water resources in the occupied territories,
noting that Israel forcibly diverts the course of water and erects
water projects on them, posing a threat to the Arab water and
national security.

With regard to occupied Syrian Golan Height, the Council reiterated
the firm support of the Arab States for Syria's just right to reclaim
the entire Golan to June 1967 parallel based on the foundations of
the peace process and international legitimacy resolutions.

The Arab Foreign Ministers Council reiterated full solidarity with
Lebanon, vowing to provide political and economic support for
Lebanon and its government to preserve Lebanese national unity,
security and stability of Lebanon and its sovereignty over all its
territory. At the same time, the Council denounced Israeli violations
of Security Council resolution No. 701 issued in 2006, holding Israel
responsible for these violations.

The Council stressed its support for Lebanon and its sovereign right
to establish relations with sisterly and friendly countries on the
basis of mutual respect for sovereignty and independence and support
for the Lebanese government in confronting terrorist groups,
particularly Fatah Al-Islam Group.
The Council also welcomed the signed agreement among the Government
of Sudan, the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Office of the
High Commissioner for Refugees on the detailed arrangements for the
transfer of about 2,000 Palestinian refugees from Iraqi border to
Sudan.

Regarding the situation in Iraq, the Arab foreign ministers
reiterated their support for a balanced political and security
solution to the crisis in Iraq that would lead to stability and
security in the Arab country, noting the importance of
non-interference in Iraq's internal affairs and acceleration of
building a national security and military forces on national and
professional bases to pave the way for the withdrawal of all foreign
forces from Iraq. The council also hailed the step taken by some Arab
states to send diplomatic and technical delegations to Iraq.

The Council condemned again the serious human rights violations that
took place during the occupation of Kuwait and obliteration of facts
relating to prisoners and missing Kuwaitis and nationals of other
states who some of them were found dead in mass graves

The Council of the Arab Foreign Ministers warned against the danger
of exacerbating problem of displaced Iraqis in the host Arab
countries. At the same time, the Council praised the efforts of Arab
countries hosting those immigrants.
The Council rejected the so-called Syria Accountability Act
considering it as a flagrant violation of the international law and
demanding Washington to reconsider it as it constitutes a flagrant
bias to Israel. Instead, the U.S. is required to enter into a
constructive dialogue with Syria to resolve issues that hinder the
improvement of relations between Washington and Damascus.

The Arab Foreign Ministers Council rejected the American ban imposed
on Syria and Sudan on the purchase and lease of aircraft, which
constituted a violation of international conventions regarding civil
aviation, calling on all Arab countries to use their good offices to
world civil aviation circles to lift this ban.

The Council of Arab Foreign Ministers expressed great concern towards
the implications of the request of the Prosecutor of the
International Criminal Court indictment of the Sudanese President,
which the Council said could lead to instability in Sudan at this
important stage of implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and
could undermine the entire efforts of a political settlement in
Darfur.



Arab Foreign Ministers conclude 130th Session 8 Cairo

The Council reiterated the right of UAE over the Iran-occupied
islands, calling on Iran to halt the illegal installations and
facilities built by Iranian authorities on the islands for the
settlement of Iranians in the three islands, desist from imposing a
status quo on the islands and reconsider its position rejecting to
find a peaceful solution to the issue.

The Council called on Iran to end its occupation of Emirate islands
and to desist from imposing a fait accompli, expressing the hope that
Iran reconsiders its position of refusing to find a peaceful solution
to the issue of the islands.

Regarding the damage and procedures of the dispute over the
Lockerbie case, the Council stressed the right of Libya to receive
compensation for the damage incurred by the sanctions, to demand the
release of the Libyan citizen Abdel Basset Al-Megrahi, and to call on
Britain to release documents demanded by the Megrahi's lawyers to be
presented to Scotch Criminal court.

--SPA