We, the kings, presidents, and
emirs of the Arab states meeting in the Council of the Arab League
Summit in Beirut, capital of Lebanon... have conducted a thorough
assessment of the developments and challenges... relating to the
Arab region and, more specifically, to the occupied Palestinian
territory.
With great pride, we followed the
Palestinian people's intifada and valiant resistance. We discussed
the Arab initiatives that aim to achieve a just and comprehensive
peace in the region...
Based on the pan-Arab
responsibility, and ...the objectives of the Arab League Charter,
the UN Charter, we announce the following:
We will continue to ...protect the
pan-Arab security and fend off the foreign schemes that aim to
encroach on Arab territorial integrity.
We address a greeting of pride and
honour to the Palestinian people's steadfastness and valiant
intifada against the Israeli occupation and its destructive war
machine.
We greet with honour and pride the
valiant martyrs of the intifada....
We affirm solidarity with Lebanon
to complete the liberation of its territory and pledge to extend
aid to help its development and the reconstruction process.
We take pride in the Lebanese
resistance and the outstanding Lebanese steadfastness that led to
the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the major part of South
Lebanon and western Al-Biqa. We demand the release of the Lebanese
prisoners, who are held in Israeli jails....
We emphasize our solidarity with
Syria and Lebanon in the face of the Israeli aggressive threats
that will undermine security and stability in the region.
We reaffirm that peace in the
Middle East cannot succeed unless it is just and comprehensive...
and based on the land for peace principle.
Expectations from Israel
A. Complete withdrawal from the
occupied Arab territories, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to
the 4 June 1967 line and the territories still occupied in
southern Lebanon.
B. Attain a just solution to the
problem of Palestinian refugees to be agreed upon in accordance
with the UN General Assembly Resolution No 194.
C. Accept the establishment of an
independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the Palestinian
territories occupied since 4 June 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital.
In return the Arab states will do
the following:
Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict
over, sign a peace agreement with Israel, and achieve peace for
all states in the region
Establish normal relations with
Israel within the framework of this comprehensive peace
Iraq
The Council welcomes the
assurances by the Republic of Iraq that it will respect the
independence, sovereignty, and security of the state of Kuwait and
safeguard its territorial integrity.
Within the same framework, the
leaders emphasize the importance of suspending media campaigns and
negative statements to create a positive atmosphere....
The Council calls for respecting
Iraq's independence, sovereignty, security, territorial integrity,
and regional safety.
The Council calls on Iraq to
cooperate in seeking a... definitive solution to the issue of the
Kuwaiti prisoners and detainees and returning [Kuwaiti]
properties.
The Council also calls on Kuwait
to cooperate with what Iraq offers with respect to its nationals
who are reported as missing through the International Committee of
the Red Cross.
The Council welcomes the
resumption of the dialogue between Iraq and the United Nations....
The Council calls for lifting the
sanctions on Iraq and ending the tribulation of the fraternal
Iraqi people....
The Council rejects threats of
aggression against some Arab states, particularly Iraq, and
reiterates categorical rejection of attacking Iraq.
The Council denounces
international terrorism, including the terrorist attack on the
United States on 11 September 2001, as well as the Israeli
Government's exploitation of this attack.
The Council emphasizes the
distinction between international terrorism and the peoples'
legitimate right to resist foreign occupation, and stresses the
need to reach an international agreement within the framework of
the United Nations. |