Final statement issued by the Arab
League Council at the summit level; ordinary session No. 13 in
Amman, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, on 2 and 3 Muharram 1422
Hegira, corresponding to 27 and 28 March 2001:
1. In response to a kind
invitation by His Majesty King Abdallah II Bin-al-Husayn, king of
the Hasehmite Kingdom of Jordan, and in implementation of a
resolution adopted by the extraordinary Arab summit conference in
Cairo on 21 and 22 October 2000 to convene the Arab League Council
regularly at the summit level in an ordinary session in March
every year, as of the year 2001, the Council met at the summit
level in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, on
27 and 28 March 2001.
2. The leaders express their great
appreciation to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for its care and
attention and good preparation for the summit and the deep
meanings contained in the opening speech by His Majesty King
Abdallah II Bin-al-Husayn, president of the conference. The
leaders decided to consider the speech an official summit
document.
3. The leaders also express their
profound thanks to His Excellency President Muhammad Husni
Mubarak, president of the Arab Republic of Egypt, for the valuable
efforts he exerted during his chairmanship of the extraordinary
summit in October 2000.
4. The Arab leaders believe that
their meeting today in Amman, in the first regular conference,
constitutes a new beginning in joint Arab action, which makes it
possible to adopt resolutions and initiatives required by the Arab
situation and address the nation's vital issues. In line with this
perspective, the leaders were unanimous in noting that restoring
Arab solidarity is the basic pillar and a source of the nation's
strength to safeguard its security, ward off dangers, and embody
the hopes and aspirations of its sons through integration and
solidarity. This conference is also a milestone and an occasion to
renew the pledge to abide by the constants and foundations of
joint Arab action, respect the rules that govern inter-Arab
relations, and safeguard the vital interests of Arab countries
within the context of achieving Arab accord and pan-Arab security.
5. Based on the Arab League
Charter and its goals and in an atmosphere of understanding,
brotherhood, and frankness, the leaders studied the state of the
nation and the challenges facing it, as well as the situation in
the region, and made a comprehensive assessment of the regional
and international circumstances. In doing this, the leaders
focused on strengthening Arab solidarity, activating the
institutions of joint Arab action, defending the nation's
interests and rights, and safeguarding Arab national security.
6. In this context, the leaders
examined the serious situation experienced by the Palestinian
people as a result of the large-scale aggression, which the
Israeli forces are waging against them, employing all means of
repression and all types of weapons, including the internationally
banned ones. This is in addition to tightening the economic siege
and continuing the settlement activity and the policy of
assassinations, demolition of homes, and destruction of the
environment in a flagrant violation of agreements and obligations
as well as international law, norms, and pacts.
7. The leaders hail with great
pride the Palestinian people's steadfastness and brave intifadah
in the face of the savage onslaught waged by Israel and the brutal
oppression exercised by the occupation authorities. They salute
the brave martyrs of the intifadah and praise the spirit of
sacrifice and steadfastness shown by the Palestinian people. The
Palestinian people have managed through their national leadership,
relentless determination, and limitless sacrifice, to confront
Israel's repressive measures and abort the de facto policy,
through which the occupation authorities have tried to impose
their unfair terms on the Palestinian people and negotiator by
force. The leaders declare that they stand by the Palestinian
people in their heroic struggle and support their brave intifadah
and legitimate right to resist occupation until they achieve their
just national demands, represented by their right to return,
self-determination, and the establishment of an independent
Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
8. The Arab leaders also hail the
steadfastness of the Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Arab
Golan Heights and their adherence to their national identity.
9. The leaders condemn Israel's
continuing aggression against the Palestinian people. They also
condemn Israel's massive violation of human rights, especially its
collective punishment, its dismembering of the Palestinian
territories, and its continued attacks on vital Palestinian
installations and national institutions, which constitute war
crimes as well as crimes against humanity and racist practices.
All these represent a serious
violation of the rules of international humanitarian law and
should be confronted. As a result of all of this, these Zionist
practices are still considered a form of racism. The leaders also
call for a meeting of the parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva
Convention as soon as possible to adopt measures to protect the
Palestinian civilians.
10. The leaders express their
extreme indignation at the US use of the veto against a draft
resolution at the Security Council on protecting the Palestinian
people in the occupied Palestinian territories and establishing a
UN observer force in these territories. They express their
absolute rejection of the US justifications. This position does
not at all conform with the US responsibility as a sponsor of the
peace process and a permanent member of the Security Council that
bears special responsibility toward safeguarding world peace and
security.
11. The leaders reiterate their
demand that the Security Council should assume responsibility for
providing the necessary international protection for the
Palestinian people under the Israeli occupation, and for forming
an international force for this purpose. They ask the Security
Council member states, especially the permanent ones, to take the
necessary measures to implement this.
12. The leaders call on the
Security Council to try the Israeli war criminals who committed
massacres and crimes against Arab citizens inside and outside all
the occupied territories, especially in light of what was
contained in the report submitted by Mrs. Mary Robinson, the UN
high commissioner on human rights.
13. The leaders welcome the
decision of the higher board of Al-Aqsa Fund and the Jerusalem
Intifadah Fund to urgently support the budget of the Palestinian
National Authority by disbursing $15 million of the approved
$60-million soft loan, based on a proposal by the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia. Considering the difficult financial and economic
conditions experienced by the Palestinian people, the leaders
commission the higher board of the two funds to respond favorably
to the PNA request to disburse the additional required sum of $180
million to support the Authority's budget over the next six
months.
The leaders also welcome Iraq's
decision to allocate 1 billion euros of its oil export sales in
accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding to meet the
Palestinian people's food, medicine, and other basic needs, and
support the families of the intifadah martyrs. This responds to a
pan-Arab demand to support the Palestinian people's steadfastness
and their blessed intifadah. They request the Arab permanent UN
representatives to follow up on this subject and facilitate the
Iraqi request at the UN Security Council.
14. The leaders reaffirm their
adherence to Security Council resolutions concerning the City of
Jerusalem, especially Resolutions 252 (1968), 267 (1969), 465
(1980), and 478 (1980), which consider null and void all Israeli
measures to change the features of this city, and call on world
countries not to transfer their embassies to Jerusalem. In this
respect, the leaders renew their emphasis on the resolutions
adopted by the 1980 Arab summit in Amman, the 1990 summit in
Baghdad, and the 2000 summit in Cairo, which call for severing all
ties with states that transfer their embassies to Jerusalem or
recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
15. The leaders reaffirm their
adherence to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the
Middle East, based on international legitimacy resolutions and the
land-for-peace principle in a manner that ensures the legitimate
Arab rights and realizes security and stability in the region.
16. The Arab leaders warn of the
consequences of the Israeli Government's disavowal of the bases
and principles on which the peace process was launched in Madrid
in 1991. They also warn of the consequences of circumventing these
principles or suggesting alternatives that do not respond to the
rules of international legitimacy. They stress the inseparability
of the Syrian and Lebanese tracks and their connection with the
Palestinian track in order to realize the Arab aims of activating
all tracks. They warn against the Israeli practices aimed at
dealing with individual tracks separate from the others. They call
for Arab coordination and reiterate that the establishment of a
just and comprehensive peace in the region requires first and
foremost full Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Palestinian
territories, including Jerusalem, and from the occupied Syrian
Golan Heights up to the 4 June 1967 line, and the remaining parts
of southern Lebanon that are still under occupation, including the
Shab'a farms, up to the internationally recognized borders. This
should be done in implementation of the relevant UN resolutions --
242, 338, 425 -- and the land-for-peace principle. The Palestinian
people should be enabled to regain their national inalienable
rights, including their right to return to their homes, get
compensation for the losses they had sustained as a result of the
Israeli occupation in accordance with UN Resolution 194, and
establish their independent state on their national soil with
Jerusalem as its capital. All Arab prisoners in Israeli jails
should also be released.
17. The leaders note that Israel
bears full legal responsibility for the problem of the Palestinian
refugees and for their displacement. They reiterate their
rejection of all plans and attempts to resettle these refugees
outside their homeland. They also demand that Israel compensate
the host Arab countries for the financial losses they sustained as
a result of hosting these refugees on behalf of the international
community.
18. The leaders decide to continue
the Arab states' boycott of the multilateral talks and to suspend
all steps and activities on regional economic cooperation with
Israel, holding it responsible for the steps and measures that
have been taken by the Arab states against it. These steps are
necessitated by the suspension of the peace process and the
Israeli occupation authorities' escalation of their repressive
measures and siege against the Palestinian people. The leaders
reaffirm their decision at the extraordinary Cairo summit in 2000
to firmly confront Israel's attempts to infiltrate the Arab world
under any slogan and to stop establishing any relations with it.
They hold Israel responsible for any steps or decisions by the
Arab states regarding relations with it, including the
cancellation of these relations. They also demand the activation
of the Arab boycott of Israel by holding periodic boycott meetings
as called for by the Central Office of the Boycott [in Damascus]
with the aim of preventing any dealings with Israel in
implementation of the boycott regulations.
19. The leaders also emphasize
their full solidarity with Syria and Lebanon and reject recent
Israeli threats against the two sisterly states, as well as the
Israeli officials' serious threats to other Arab states and the
Palestinian people and their leadership. They condemn the threat
to use force and stress the need to discuss the dangers posed by
these threats, as well Israel's return to its racist policy. They
also call for a clear Arab strategy to expose the Israeli schemes,
which do not serve peace and which threaten security and stability
in the region. They also reject Israel's attempts to brand as
terrorist the Arab states that carry out the duty of legitimate
national resistance against the Israeli occupation of their
territories.
20. The leaders emphasize their
support for Lebanon to complete the liberation of its territory
from the Israeli occupation up to the internationally recognized
borders, including Shab'a farms. They praise the role of the
valiant Lebanese resistance and the splendid Lebanese
steadfastness that forced the Israeli forces to withdraw from
Southern Lebanon and western Al-Biqa. They also demand the release
of Lebanese prisoners and detainees held in Israeli jails. They
support the right of Lebanon and its resistance to free these
prisoners with all legitimate means. They also support Lebanon's
demand to clear the mines left behind by the Israeli occupation.
Israel planted them and, therefore, should clear them. In this
respect, they praise the UAE's adoption of a plan to remove the
mines in South Lebanon. The leaders also support Lebanon's firm
rights to its water, as stipulated by international law, against
the Israeli designs.
They reaffirm the resolutions of
the 10th, 11th, and 12th Arab summits on the need to support the
Lebanese Government and assist it to rebuild Lebanon. They praise
the assistance the Arab countries have offered to Lebanon, and the
countries that expressed readiness to offer such assistance,
particularly to the liberated areas. They call for reactivating
the fund for supporting Lebanon to help it rebuild and develop its
infrastructure, particularly in the areas that were liberated from
the Israeli occupation.
21. The leaders stress that the
achievement of a lasting peace and security in the region requires
Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and open all
Israeli nuclear facilities to the international inspection and
monitoring regime. They also stressed the extreme importance of
keeping the Middle East free of nuclear weapons and all other
weapons of mass destruction, given that this is a basic condition
for any future regional security arrangements.
22. The leaders reaffirm that
commitment to the peace process demands that Israel implement the
agreements and fulfill the obligations that have been reached,
build on what has been achieved, and resume the negotiations on
all tracks from where they stopped in accordance with the terms of
reference and the principles on which the peace process was
launched. [The two sponsors of the peace process, especially the
United States, must assume] their responsibilities and obligations
toward the peace process on the basis of justice and neutrality.
[above words in brackets are
dropped from press version; they are provided from the final
statement as distributed to reporters at conclusion of summit]
23. The leaders also urge all the
states that are concerned with the peace process, headed by the EU
states, to play an active role in order to overcome the obstacles
facing the peace process in the Middle East.
24. The Arab leaders believe that
the United Nations, which has been entrusted with the task of
preserving international security and peace in its capacity as the
source of international legitimacy, is called upon to play a more
effective role in implementing its resolutions on the Middle East
question.
25. The leaders have decided to
entrust His Majesty King Abdallah II Bin-al-Husayn, president of
the summit, with the task of holding consultations with his
brother Arab leaders and the Arab League secretary general, and
making the necessary contacts to pursue discussion of the
situation between Iraq and Kuwait in order to achieve Arab
solidarity.
26. The Arab leaders congratulate
the brotherly peoples of Bahrain and Qatar and their wise leaders
on the resolution of the border dispute between the two countries
and praise the good brotherly spirit with which they received the
ruling of the International Court of Justice on this subject. They
consider this important accomplishment will contribute to
strengthening their brotherly relations and common interests and
enhancing Arab solidarity and security and stability in the
region.
27. The leaders also congratulate
the brotherly people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State
of Qatar and their wise leaders on the demarcation of the borders
between the two countries in a manner that would contribute to
strengthening the fraternal ties between them and enhancing Arab
solidarity.
28. The Arab leaders reaffirm the
UAE's sovereignty over the three islands of Tunb al-Kubra, Tunb
al-Sughra, and Abu-Musa and their support for all the steps and
means it is pursuing to regain its sovereignty over its three Arab
islands. They call on Iran to end its occupation of the three Arab
islands and stop the policy of imposing a status quo by force on
these islands, including the establishment of facilities to settle
Iranians on these islands. They call on Iran to pursue peaceful
means to resolve the existing dispute over the islands in
accordance with the principles and rules of international law,
including an agreement to refer the dispute to the International
Court of Justice. The leaders regret Iran's refusal to respond to
the efforts of the three-way committee that was entrusted by the
Gulf Cooperation Council to formulate a mechanism for the
initiation of direct negotiations between the UAE and the Islamic
Republic of Iran to end the Iranian occupation of the three Arab
islands. The leaders task the Arab League secretary general to
follow up the issue of the Iranian occupation of the UAE islands
and submit a report on this issue to the next Arab summit.
29. The leaders also renew their
support for and solidarity with the Great Socialist People's
Libyan Arab Jamahiriyah in requesting the Security Council to lift
the sanctions imposed on it immediately and completely, as they
are no longer justified under any pretext. The Arabs will consider
themselves free from any commitment to these sanctions should they
continue to be imposed, especially since the Jamahiriyah has
fulfilled all its obligations as stipulated in the relevant
Council resolutions. The leaders express their support for the
Jamahiriyah in obtaining compensation for the human and material
losses it has sustained as a result of the sanctions imposed on
it. The leaders call for the immediate release of Libyan citizen
Abd-al-Basit al-Miqrahi, who was convicted for political reasons
that have nothing to do with the law. In accordance with all
relevant laws and norms, he will be considered hostage if he
remains in custody.
30. The leaders welcome the
efforts by the interim government in Somalia to continue the
general reconciliation and achieve national unity and restore
security and stability to the country. They decide to offer it
support to entrench security and stability and reactivate state
institutions.
31. The leaders express concern
for Sudan's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. They
back the good offices that are being exerted by Egypt and Libya to
help achieve national accord in Sudan. They praise the Sudanese
Government's efforts to achieve peace and allow relief stuff to
reach those harmed. They reiterate their support for the Sudanese
Government's call on the UN Security Council to lift the sanctions
imposed on it.
32. The leaders express their full
concern for the national unity of the Federal Islamic Republic of
the Comoros and the safety of its territorial integrity and
national sovereignty. They welcome the national reconciliation
efforts that are being exerted by the government of the Republic
of the Comoros in cooperation with the Arab League, regional
organizations, and the United Nations in order to preserve
national unity and achieve general national reconciliation. They
decide to extend the necessary support for the Comoros to help the
reconstruction effort there. In this context, they praise the
Qatari initiative to set up a fund sponsored by the General
Secretariat to support the Comoros and the donation of $2 million
to this fund by His Highness Shaykh Hamad Bin-Khalifah Al Thani,
amir of the State of Qatar.
33. The leaders attach special
importance to Arab economic integration. They endorse any steps
taken to ensure the activation of this aspect of joint Arab action
in a manner that achieves the Arab states' common interests and
mutual benefits, strengthens their economic capabilities through
the adoption of an Arab plan for a comprehensive and sustainable
development, and promotes joint economic action through positive
interaction with international economic developments and
globalization.
34. The leaders express their
appreciation for the efforts being made to set up the Greater Arab
Free Trade Area and praise the steps taken thus far toward this
end. They decide to immediately eliminate all non-customs
administrative, technical, financial, monetary, and volume
restrictions and subject all duties and taxes of similar effect to
the gradual reduction agreed upon. They also decide to treat the
Arab commodities the same as national commodities.
35. The leaders underline the
importance of expediting a study on merging the services industry
in the Greater Arab Free Trade Area. They also underline the
importance of preparation for moving to an advanced stage of Arab
economic integration through setting up an Arab customs union.
They entrust the Economic and Social Council to follow up on this
issue.
36. The leaders bless what has
been achieved by the Arab countries in the field of improving the
investment climate. They emphasize the importance of giving more
incentives to attract investments and encourage the private sector
to play a greater role in this field. They call on the Arab
financial establishments to co-finance infrastructure and private
sector projects. They assign the Economic and Social Council the
task of reviewing the unified agreement on investing Arab capital
in the Arab countries to activate this agreement in light of the
international and Arab developments.
37. Due to the effective role of
the transportation sector in all aspects of Arab economic
integration and cooperation, the Arab leaders entrust the Economic
and Social Council with the task of working in cooperation with
all relevant sides to discuss all aspects and dimensions of the
problem of transportation and ways to link the Arab countries via
land, sea, and air routes and submit their recommendations in this
regard to the next regular Arab summit through the foreign
ministers of the Arab League Council.
38. Aware of the fact that the
communication and information revolution has begun to cross
geographical boundaries, the Arab leaders assert the need to
accord priority to developing the Arab capabilities in the area of
information technology and communications, and to consider this a
vital domain for cooperation and coordination on the Arab level.
In this regard, the Arab leaders welcome the UAE's offer to host
the first session of the Arab Forum of Information Technology.
39. The Arab leaders value the
distinguished role of joint Arab action in investments and
integration in the field of electric power. They assert that the
vital contribution of this sector requires that the agencies in
charge of electricity chart a specific plan to boost electric
power and expedite the completion of Arab electric power linkage.
40. In view of the relatively
growing importance of the tourism sector on the Arab level and the
competition this sector is facing on the international level, the
leaders underscore the need for all the agencies and bodies
concerned with inter-Arab tourist activities and development of
tourism to spur inter-Arab tourism and attract more foreign
tourists to the Arab region by supporting investments in this
sector and promoting transportation services in the Arab states
and facilitating entry into the Arab states.
41. The Arab leaders value the
results of joint Arab action in the field of environment and
sustainable development and coordination in the international
arenas. They express their support for the Abu Dhabi Declaration
on the future of Arab environmental action in this field and
consider it as a working mechanism in the 21st century. They
stress the importance of Arab consultation and coordination for
the Earth Summit in 2002. The leaders also welcome the convocation
of the seventh session of the conference of the parties to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change in Marrakech from 29
October to 9 November 2001.
42. The leaders welcome the
initiative of the Arab Republic of Egypt to convene the first
economic conference in Cairo in November 2001 with the
participation of Arab governments, the Arab and foreign private
sectors, and regional and international economic establishments.
The Arab League secretary general will be entrusted with taking
the necessary steps in cooperation with the host countries to
ensure the success of the conference.
43. In light of the increasing
tasks of the technical team at the General Secretariat, they
entrust the secretary general with supporting and developing this
team, in cooperation with the Economic and Social Council, in
order to activate the mechanisms and Arab establishments in charge
of following up joint Arab action. The Economic and Social
Council, in collaboration with the organizations and
establishments of Arab action, will be in charge of preparing and
presenting economic topics to the Arab League's Foreign Ministers'
Council prior to referring them to the summit.
44. Having reviewed relations with
the neighboring countries, the leaders stress the importance of
strengthening the ties of cooperation with these countries,
especially Iran and Turkey, which are bound with the Arab homeland
by historical and cultural relations and common interests. The
leaders consider the water issue in its legal, economic, and
security dimensions as extremely vital to the Arab nation.
Therefore, they call on Turkey to enter into tripartite talks with
Iraq and Syria in accordance with the rules of international law
and the treaties concluded between them in order to reach a fair
and equitable agreement on the distribution of water that
guarantees the rights of the three countries.
45. Proceeding from the historical
and cultural links and the common interests that unite our Arab
nation with the countries of the African continent, the leaders
paid attention to the subject of Afro-Arab cooperation. They
examined its different aspects and stressed the need to continue
efforts to promote this cooperation and remove any obstacles that
hamper meetings or obstruct the implementation of joint programs.
They entrusted the secretary general of the Arab League with the
task of resuming his contacts in this connection with his
counterpart, the OAU secretary general. In this respect, they
welcome Algeria's offer to host a meeting of the Standing
Committee on Arab-African Cooperation.
46. The leaders believe in the
importance of developing Arab-European relations, including the
revival of the Arab-European dialogue and promoting these ties in
a manner that achieves balanced and equitable interests.
47. The leaders discussed the
affairs of Arab expatriates, particularly in the two Americas and
Europe. They welcomed the growing role of Arab communities and the
remarkable interaction with the nation's causes being demonstrated
by Arab and Muslim associations. They expressed their eagerness to
accord full attention to the conditions of Arab expatriates, care
for their interests and concerns, and promote their affiliation
with the motherland.
48. The leaders extend their
thanks and appreciation to His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Ismat
Abd-al-Majid for his management of issues pertaining to joint Arab
action during his term as Arab League secretary general with great
efficiency and competence. Thanks to his great expertise and
political shrewdness, he contributed to maintaining harmony and
accord between Arab League members. He also contributed to the
effort to foster new values and foundations for restoring Arab
solidarity and promoting the performance of joint Arab action
under circumstances marked by Arab and international upheavals.
49. The leaders were unanimous in
their choice of Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Musa as new Arab
League secretary general. They noted his diplomatic acumen and
high competence, which qualify him to manage joint Arab action at
the helm of the Arab League General Secretariat at this stage.
They wished him success in his new job.
50. To enable the Arab League to
shoulder its responsibilities, perform its tasks, and implement
its programs and activities, the leaders have assigned the Arab
League secretary general the task of taking the necessary steps
and proposing the appropriate formulas to reform the Arab League
General Secretariat financially, administratively, and
organizationally with a view to restructuring it, upgrading its
procedures and performance, and enabling it to shoulder its
pan-Arab tasks and catch up with the latest developments on the
regional and international levels.
In this regard, they welcome all
the proposals submitted by member states, including the paper
submitted by the State of Qatar and the proposal submitted by the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
51. The leaders express their
thanks to the chairman and members of the Follow-up and Action
Committee formed by the recent Cairo summit for the efforts they
exerted in implementing the summit resolutions. They stress the
importance of this committee as an essential work mechanism for
following up on the implementation of summit resolutions and
taking action on the regional and international levels. They
approve the continuation of its work. The summit presidency shall
consult with the Arab leaders on its formation. The committee
shall meet once every two months on the ministerial level and once
every month on the level of permanent representatives or personal
representatives of the ministers at the Arab League Headquarters
or in any member state that requests hosting its work.
52. Based on the mechanism of the
regular convocation of the Arab League Council on the summit
level, and in accordance with an agreement reached between the
United Arab Emirates and Lebanon on exchanging their presidency of
the summit, the leaders decided to hold the 14th ordinary session
of the Arab League Council on the summit level in Beirut, capital
of the Lebanese Republic, in March 2002. The State of Bahrain will
assume the presidency of the Arab League Council on the summit
level at the 15th session in accordance with the alphabetical
order of the names of the member states.
The leaders also express their
profound gratitude and best wishes to the brotherly Jordanian
people for the good hospitality and warm reception, which they
accorded to the delegations participating in the Arab summit. They
also express their great appreciation to His Majesty King Abdallah
II Bin-al-Husayn for the big efforts he exerted to ensure the
success of the summit conference and also for the good preparation
and organization. They praise the wisdom, perseverance, and
competence with which his majesty ran the working sessions, which
have had a great effect on the success of the summit and the
important results that crowned the summit meetings -- results
which would help strengthen the course of joint action, achieve
the higher interests of the Arab nation, and help safeguard Arab
national security.
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