By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : Gravely concerned over the deteriorating security situation in the Arab region, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit has suggested the reconsideration of the regional system and organisations.
“The Arab decision-makers should review the operation of pan-Arab mechanisms with a view to facing up to growing challenges,” the minister said in a speech read on his behalf by Assistant Foreign Minister, Ambassador Wafaa Basim at the conference of Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs here.
He attributed the increasing importance of the proposed overall revision to “the overlapping of different files.”
On the situation in the Palestinian territories, the minister said the ongoing infighting among Palestinian factions served no one except Israel which claimed there was no Palestinian peace partner.
The infighting also discourages the international community from forcing Israel into accepting the UN resolutions related to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, he cautioned.
As for the Iraqi crisis, Abul-Gheit expressed pessimism about the prospects of political settlement of the crisis and reasserted the need to push ahead with the national reconciliation process in the war-torn Arab country.
He also recommended revision of controversial articles of the Iraqi constitution. The conflict between Iraqi Sunnis and Shiites is a direct reflection of conflicting interests of foreign powers, he believes.
Meanwhile, he reiterated Egypt’s opposition to foreign interference in Lebanon’s domestic affairs.
Egypt supports the democratically-elected government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora and calls on all conflicting forces there to work together for maintaining the sovereignty of their state, according to Abul-Gheit’s speech.
Founded in 1999, the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs is a non-government institution specialised in studying and analysing international affairs in relation to Egypt’s national interests.