Arab FMs thank Amir for supporting Yemen talks

Arab Foreign Ministers have voiced their gratitude and appreciation to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for his key role in supporting Yemeni people and hosting Yemen’s peace talks. In a final communique issued on Tuesday at the conclusion of the 147th session of the Council of the Arab League in Cairo, the ministers affirmed importance of stability, security, unity and territorial integrity of Yemen.

They also stressed their support for the constitutional legitimacy represented in Yemen’s President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, the communique said. The conferees also affirmed the peaceful solution in Yemen in line with the three references agreed upon; the Gulf initiative and its implementation mechanism, the outcomes of the comprehensive national dialogue conference and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. They praised efforts of UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmad aimed to resume the peaceful process in line with the three references, the communique stated.

The ministers condemned measures taken unilaterally by the putschists that included the formation of the so-called political council and the illegitimate government, and their rejection of releasing prisoners and others. They called on the international community and all human rights organizations to take a rapid and strict step against violations by the putschists in Yemen, it said. According to the communique, the meeting condemned Iran’s interferences in Yemen’s affairs which affect badly the country’s stability, security and sovereignty, urging the international community to press Tehran so as to halt its hostile acts towards Yemenis.

The ministers appealed to the international community to provide financial, economic and security support to Yemen in order to combat challenges and meet humanitarian needs urgently so as to ensure stability and fulfill arrangements regarding the transitional period, it concluded.

Two-state solution

Meanwhile, the Arab foreign ministers renewed full commitment to the Arab peace initiative of 2002 to settle the Mideast conflict based on a two-state solution. In a statement at the conclusion of their meeting, the ministers reaffirmed the inalienable rights of Palestinian people to self-determination, having an independent viable state, releasing their prisoners and returning of their refugees to their country as per the international law and the UN and Arab summits resolutions. They called for galvanizing international support to issue a UN Security Council resolution supporting the two-state solution and setting a timetable for ending the Israeli occupation.

They urged the international community to put into effect the UNSC resolution No. 2334 of 2016 termed the Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian land a blatant violation of the international law and an obstacle to Mideast peace. They asked all world countries to abide by the UNSC resolutions No. 476 and 478 of 1980 which annulled the Israeli legalization of its annexation of the occupied Jerusalem and discouraged the opening or transferring of diplomatic missions or embassies to Jerusalem. The ministers tasked Arab diplomats in the UN to intensify efforts to press the UNSC to shoulder its responsibility towards the Palestinian people and to stop the Israeli illegal settlement activities. They called on the UNSC to provide protection to the Palestinian people as per its resolutions No. 904 of 1994 and 605 of 1987 and to apply the international humanitarian law and Geneva Convention.

They expressed full support to the Palestinian government efforts to join international organizations and treaties. They reiterated rejection to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. They also voiced opposition to any proposal for a Palestinian state with temporary borders or that separate Gaza Strip from the Palestinian state. The ministers warned Israel against provoking sentiments of Arabs and Muslims worldwide through its illegal and ruthless efforts to change the Arab character of the occupied Jerusalem and to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Such acts risk prompts a religious conflict in the region, they warned. They also said that Palestinian refugees are the core of the Palestinian cause, nobody could give up their right to return to their home country. In this regard, they opposed any attempt to settle Palestinian refugees in their hosting countries or deprive them from their right to return. They demanded all warring parties in Syria to protect Palestinian refugees there and not to consider them part of the civil conflict. They underlined the need to continue politically and financially supporting the Palestinian government.

To achieve this goal, they called for aiding the Palestinian government with $100 million every month to allow it to carry out its responsibilities. The ministers thanked Kuwait for planning to host an international conference on the suffering of Palestinian children under the Israeli occupation next May. They called for sustained support for UNRWA to be able to continue performing its mandate and responsibilities in the relief and works of Palestinian refugees at all levels.

Cooperation with UNSC

In the meantime, Arab Foreign Ministers agreed on an initiative to form a consultative framework for promoting cooperation and establishing effective partnership between Arab League and UN Security Council, with the aim of achieving stability and security in the region.

The ministers approved a draft resolution proposed by Egypt on the framework action which includes exchanging visions on dealing with issues related to peace and security in the Arab region. It includes the consistency of Security Council resolutions on the Arab conflicts with the vision of the Arab League and its member states in terms of managing and settling these conflicts.

The initiative aims to help build capabilities of the Arab League so as to deal with issues of peace and security, and predict an eruption of possible conflicts in the region and settle them early. It also includes organizing training courses and programs to help staff of specialized departments deal with crises at the Arab League. The draft resolution calls for holding an annual consultative meeting on an alternative basis; at the Arab League in Cairo and the United Nations’ headquarters in New York.

Unrest in Libya

Furthermore, the Arab League’s Council expressed profound concern over the latest developments of the security situation and the terrorist threats in Libya. The council urged respect for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Libya, and called on the Libyans “to unite under the civilian leadership of the presidential council.”The Arab foreign ministers reject all forms of foreign intervention in Libya unless such interventions are requested by, and coordinated with, the government of national accord, according to a resolution adopted by the council. The resolution denounced the expansion of the militant groups in the country. It called for unfreezing the Libyan assets at foreign banks and appropriating the financial resources of the Libyan people for meeting urgent needs of the people. It reiterated support to the government of national accord as the sole legitimate government in Libya, and warned against offering any kind of support to parallel entities.

The resolution called for offering all kinds of material and moral support to the Libyan military and civilian institutions belonging to the presidential council of the government of national accord in keeping with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

It underscored the importance of the roles of the neighboring countries, the League and the troika mechanism, suggested by the League’s secretarygeneral to coordinate the efforts of the League, the UN and the African Union (AU). In a related development, Secretary-General Ahmad Abul Gheit called on all parties in Libya to maintain self-restraint and return to the course of political dialogue to resolve the crisis. He is following up with deep concern the serious escalation of the conflict in the Oil Crescent region according to a statement issued by the League following the Arab ministerial council meeting.

Abul Gheit reaffirmed the commitment of the League to helping “the brothers in Libya” restore peace, security and stability, and maintain the country’s unity and sovereignty. Separately, the Arab foreign ministers’ council adopted a resolution to condemn the abduction of Qatari nationals in Iraq after legally entering the country. —KUNA