Communiqué of Arab League Foreign Ministers 127th Session

Cairo, 14 Safar 1428H (04.03.2007)

Cairo, Mar. 4, 2007Arab foreign ministers concluded their 127th session held in Cairo today. Prince SaudAl-Faisal, Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of SaudiArabia, led his country's delegation to the meeting.TheArab ministerial council has drafted the agenda of the forthcoming Arab summit meeting scheduled for Riyadh on 28 - 29 March.The council urged those Arab countries who have not endorsed the draft statute of the Arab security and Peace Council to expedite measures of accrediting the document.

OnPalestine, the council condemned the continuation of escalation of the brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, noting that the Palestinian unity is the only way to protect the Palestinian national project.

The council stressedArab commitment to fair and comprehensive peace as a strategic option and that the peace initiative is a comprehensive one that could not be fragmented and could not be reached unless Israel completely withdraw from the occupied Arab territories since 1967, the independent Palestinian state be formed with Al-Quds “Jerusalem” as its capital and that the Palestinian refugees problem be resolved according to the 194 resolution which rejected all forms of settlement.

The council voiced support for makkah agreement calling for a national unity government and calling on the quartet to resume a serious work for achieving peace in the region according to the road map plan, Arab Peace Initiative and the international legitimacy resolutions.

The statement called on the world community to lift all forms of siege against the Palestinian people and to secure the delivery of assistance to them.
the council strongly denounced the Israeliaggression against Al_Aqsamosque and called for the halt of excavation works underneath the mosque which aim at altering the Islamic identity of the city.

The council decided to upgrade the ceiling of Al_Aqsa fund and Al-Quds “Jerusalem” uprising by $300 million , noting that some Arab countries have since Khartoum summit, contributed to the budget of Palestinian authority by $378 million out of the targeted $660 million.

SaudiArabia has paid $66.2 million, Kuwait $75 million, Qatar $50 million, UAE, $50 million, Syria $5.5 million, Oman $5 million, Libya $ 50 million, Egypt $3 million, Yemen %1.6 million, the statement said, adding that Qatar paid additional $50 million to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.
The council underscored the importance of the Arab existence in Africa.

On the Syrian file, the council supported Syria’s firm claim to restore the occupied GolanHeights.

On Lebanon, the council urged for full solidarity with Lebanon and provision of political and economic support for the Lebanese government to help it preserve its country's independence, security, stability and sovereignty on all its territories. The statement called on all Lebanese factions to reject violence and resort to reason and reach reconciliation and unity.
on the three UAE islands occupied by Iran, the council condemned the military maneuvers recently conducted by Iran on the occupied islands and in the territorial waters of the islands in their capacity as integral parts of the united Arab emirates, calling on Iran to reconsider its position rejecting a peaceful solution for the case.

The council confirmed Libya’s right in receiving compensations for the material and human damages it was incurring as a result of the sanctions imposed on it, calling for the release of Abdulbaset Almegrahi, a Libyan detained by the international justice court.

On Darfur, the council called on the Sudan government and the African Union to continue their efforts to bring about peace and stability in Darfur.

The statement called on Darfur rebels, who still did not sign Abuja accord, to join their colleagues by signing the agreement and start peace.

The council called on Arab nations to live up to their financial commitments to support the African peacekeeping force, noting that only $15 million was paid out of the targeted $150 million.

On Somalia, the council welcomed the African Union's resolution to send African peacekeepers to enhance stability in Somalia.

The council expressed concern over the dangers of the Israeli nuclear weapons on the Arab national security, noting that Israel’s adamant rejection to join the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons treaty would push the region's countries to seek acquiring nuclear armory.

In this regard, the council decided to suspend the work of the Arab technical committee on a draft treaty to make the Middle East a mass destruction weapons free region.

Instead, the Arab foreign ministers will hold an extraordinary meeting to study and evaluate the Arab efforts for making the region a mass destruction weapons free and forge an Arab position in case Israel officially announces itself a nuclear power.