Tunis, 24/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - The Arab League Summit on 22-23 May in Tunis adopted a declaration that asserted the desire of the member countries to "strengthen common actin and to act together to ensure peace, stability, economic prosperity and progress for the people of the region". Arab League Heads of State and Governments reaffirmed their solidarity with the Palestinian and Iraqi people. Chairman of the debates Zine El Abidine Ben Ali said that discussions were held in a spirit of "understanding and frankness" but appear to have been marked by strong divergences on reforms that Arab countries are now obliged to make. According to the Tunisian president a "positive step" had been taken. He also declared that, "We were keen for the reform process to be in harmony with international changes that are increasingly rapid and which respond to the imperatives and restructuring of the League of Arab States and its specialised institutions". He mentioned, for example, the "summit's stress put on the promotion of the role of Arab women in society". He also provided assurances that as acting president, Tunisia would make the results of the summit into reality.
The summit launched an appeal to the international community according to which the final declaration had to "combine its efforts to guarantee necessary protection to the Palestinian people, faced with killings and deportations, to put a stop to the assassinations of Palestinian leaders and the blockade imposed on the Palestinians and its political leadership, as well as the aggression against that indiscriminately targets civilians". This final formula is highlighted by commentators as it also covers Israeli civilian victims. The summit hopes to pave the way for peace negotiations on the basis of the Saudi Arabian plan and the Quartet's "road map". It is also requesting an international conference to be organised that would get rid of weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East including those held by Israel. The summit asserted the "support of the Arab community for Iraq's territorial integrity, respect for its sovereignty, independence and national unity". It is calling on the Security Council to "confer a central role to the United Nations" to put a stop to the occupation and prepare the transfer of power to the Iraqi people. The summit decided to set up an Arab troika to begin contacts for ensuring the follow up of the developing situation in Iraq. It also affirmed its solidarity with Syria, following US sanctions.
The summit also called for the reaffirmation of the links of friendship between Arab countries and others from the world to devise a new cooperation and partnership approach for solidarity based on the aim of focusing on dialogue between religions and cultures and of valorising Islam's message of civilisation and humanitarianism, which calls for a diffusion of values of tolerance, comprehension and peaceful co-existence between peoples and nations and the rejection of hatred and discrimination. It also reiterated the commitment of Arab countries to continue their contribution, in the framework of international efforts, in the fight against all kinds of terrorism, while avoiding any attempt to associate Islam and terrorism and legitimate resistance and terrorism.