By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : Arab foreign ministers have affirmed that the Arab states’ uphold the pursuit of a just peace as a strategic option and emphasized that the Middle East peace process should remain a process intended for comprehensive peace in the region.
The ministers, at the conclusion of the 129th session of the Arab League Council, noted in a statement that regional peace could be realised with Israel’s full withdrawal from the occupied Arab and Palestinian territories including Syria’s Golan Heights and southern Lebanon.
They called for a just settlement to the plight of the Palestinian refugees in line with United Nations resolution 194 of 1948, the rejection of all forms of settlements, renewal of their support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the Arab peace initiative.
The council called on all states of the world, namely the United States, to exert pressure on Israel to push forward the peace efforts, halt construction and expansion of Jewish settlements and conclude the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in line with a schedule.
The ministers condemned excavation activities at the Al-Aqsa mosque site and called for the preservation of Islamic and Chrisitian sanctities in Jerusalem.
They renewed condemnation of blatant violations of human rights during the occupation of Kuwait by the former regime of Iraq and cover-up of facts about destiny and whereabouts of scores of people who had been nabbed in Kuwait by the occupiers.
They expressed condolences to families of the POWs whose remains were found in mass graves in Iraq after the collapse of the former regime of Saddam Hussein.
They expressed solidarity with Lebanon and Syria in face recurring Israeli threats.
On Iraq, they affirmed the principle of non-intervention in Iraq’s domestic affairs and noted that sectarian discords can be resolved with diplomacy, in addition to the security force, and called for the hosting of a broad national conciliation conference for all Iraqi factions as soon as possible to settle all thorny issues.
They called on the government to dissolve all militias and speed up establishment of the armed forces.
Regarding Iran’s occupation of the UAE islands, they reaffirmed Abu Dhabi’s sovereignty on these islands and backed its efforts for reclaiming them.
Concerning the US sanctions on Syria, the ministers urged Washington to begin dialogue with Damascus and seek to improve ties with it.
They reiterated condemnation of Israel’s possession of nuclear arms and the call to clear the region of weapons of mass destruction.
On Lebanon, the officials called again on the Lebanese factions to elect a president and end the political crisis, and urged for international aid for the Iraqi refugees.