By R. Ravichandran
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 (NNN-Bernama) — The strengthening of joint Arab action to face current challenges on the regional and international scenes, the Palestine issue, food security and political and economic cooperation are among the important agenda for deliberation at the 31st Arab League Summit, to be hosted by Algeria from Nov 1-2.
Speaking to Bernama in an interview, Algeria’s ambassador to Malaysia Saad Maandi said that the summit in Algiers under the chairmanship of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune will be held alongside the celebration of the 68th anniversary of Algeria’s Glorious War of Liberation against France.
He said Algeria has brought the ideal conditions so that the Arab summit will be a success and a crucial gathering to overcome the common challenges and meet the Arab aspirations and expectations.
“We aspire to make this event a crucial step in joint Arab action, for an effective contribution of the Arab world to face the current challenges on the regional and international scenes, in particular political and economic cooperation,” the Algerian ambassador further said.
Maandi said in preparation for this major event, Algeria is continuing its efforts to strengthen national unity between Palestinian factions in the light of the reconciliation initiative launched by Algeria which was concluded on October 13 with the signing of the “Algiers Declaration” by 14 Palestinian factions including by Fatah and Hamas, by the leaders and representatives of the Palestinian factions.
He said President Tebboune had described the signing of the Declaration for Palestinian national unity as a historic day, pending the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with al-Quds as capital.
“He expressed the wish to see the establishment of an independent Palestine State on its own right on the basis of the borders of June 67 with al-Quds as its capital,” Maandi said.
Maandi said that the Arab league Secretary General Ahmad Aboul Gheit had welcomed the Palestinian factions’ signing of the Algiers Declaration and commended the crucial role played by Algeria in achieving such an agreement.
He also underscored that the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had also welcomed the signing of the Declaration, describing it as a positive step towards intra-Palestinian reconciliation.
Maandi further said that Guterres encouraged all factions to overcome their differences through dialogue and urged them to follow up on the commitments included in the Declaration.
“Guterres greatly appreciated the efforts to this end by Algeria and notably of President Tebboune,” the ambassador said.
Maandi said the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had also welcomed the signing of the Declaration, considering that this is an important and positive step on the road to ending the division and restoring the national unity of the Palestinian people.
“The resolution of the Palestinian question remains the cornerstone for the restoration of security and stability in the Middle East region, enshrining the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people to establish their independent state,” Maandi said.
Maandi said Algeria’s Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra had highlighted that what has been achieved for the Palestinian reconciliation in Algeria will have a positive impact on the work of the Arab summit to be held in Algeria.
He added that minister Lamamra had also spoken about reform of the Arab League and underlined that “the Arab League had listened to the working groups on five clauses for the reform of the League, including civil society to provide new impetus to joint Arab action”.
Maandi said that Lamamra had described the Algiers Declaration as a “good omen” and a ‘’clear message’’ for the unification of Arab ranks like those of the Palestinians.
President Tebboune had extended invitation to the Chairman of African Union and President of Senegal, Macky Sall; the Non Aligned Movement Chairman and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and the Secretary General of OIC Hussein Ibrahim Taha to attend the Arab summit.
The Arab League, a pan-Arab organisation, was formed on March 22, 1945, in Cairo, Egypt.
The members of the Arab League are Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Syria’s membership was suspended in 2011.
Algeria also hosted the 1973 and 2005 Arab Summits.
— NNN-BERNAMA