His Majesty King Abdullah II
Speech
delivered on His Majesty's behalf
by Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb at the opening session of the Arab summit
March 27, 2002
Beirut
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Majesties, Excellencies, Highnesses,
Kings, Presidents and Princes of Arab countries
Peace be upon you, Allah's Mercy and Blessings
This is our second summit, after Amman summit, which established the principle of holding an annual Arab summit. We meet today in Lebanon, and thus seize the opportunity to congratulate our Lebanese brethren on their victory and liberation of Lebanese territory in the south.
Allow me to convey my deep thanks and appreciation to His Excellency President Emile Lahoud, president of this summit, and to the Lebanese government, for their hospitality and warm reception, good preparation, and for taking the necessary arrangements to convene this summit.
I also would like to express my thanks and gratitude to the secretary general of the Arab League, and to league members of staff, for all the highly regarded efforts they exerted during last year.
Majesties, Excellencies, Highnesses
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was honoured to host the previous Arab summit, in March of last year. The Palestinian cause, the Arab nation's main cause, was then and still is, going through its most delicate and dangerous stages. This is due to policies and repressions exercised by the Israeli government against our Palestinian brethren, for their legitimate struggle for freedom, and their aspirations for the establishment of their independent state, on their national soil with Jerusalem as its capital.
Our efforts were focused during the course of last year, on putting an end to what Palestinians are enduring from killings, destruction, and closures. And on urging the international community to commit Israel to honour its agreements with the Palestinians, and to return to the negotiations, in order to achieve a just solution, based on international legitimacy and agreements reached between the two parties during previous years.
The Jordanian effort to encompass the crisis and to halt the aggression that our brethren are facing, is based upon the following principles:
First: The problem principally is one of politics and not of security. Therefore, it has to be dealt with on these bases. The impedance of the peace process, and subsequent eruption of violence in the region, are due to Israel's stalling in implementing what it has agreed upon with the Palestinians, as well as Israel's evasiveness to realise these commitments. We affirmed in all our moves and efforts, that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is the fundamental base of conflict in the region and the military operations carried by the Israeli army against the defenceless Palestinian people, is the main prompter to popular Palestinian reactions.
Second: The peace process is based upon international legitimacy, UN Resolutions 242 and 338, and the principle of land-for-peace. Therefore, it is not within the rights of any party to impose any amendments on these terms of reference, nor to seek new interpretations aiming to disclaim itself from commitments, or to retract from signed agreements.
Third: The peace process is a whole, that cannot be divided up. The just, comprehensive and lasting peace that the people of the region aspire to, cannot be achieved until the full attainment of all Arab rights, the most important of which, are the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, finding a just settlement for the Palestinian refugees problem, and Syria's regain of the Golan Heights, effected by an Israeli withdrawal, to the 4th of June borders, and a further withdrawal from the remaining Lebanese territories in the Shebaa area.
Fourth: The Palestinian National Authority under the leadership of His Excellency Yasser Arafat, is the legitimate Palestinian leadership. Therefore, any attempts to marginalise, weaken or substitute it should be confronted. Such attempts will only serve to create more chaos and instability in the Palestinian territories and in the whole region as well.
Stemming from these main bases, and as president of the previous Arab summit, I contacted different parties concerned with the peace process, beginning with the USA, Russia, European Union, China, UN and other international organisations. The Palestinian issue was the most prominent in all discussions I conducted in these capitals. These efforts, however, as well as others rendered by our brethren states, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the Palestinian leadership itself, led to an international consensus to endorse the need to terminate the Israeli occupation, and to create an independent Palestinian state. Such consensus was largely manifested in the positive American and European stance in this regard, and the endorsement of UN Resolution 1397.
Majesties, Excellencies, Highnesses
On the Iraq-Kuwait situation, we agreed in our last summit in Amman, to exert more efforts to begin a new page, and to resume normal relations between the two brotherly states.
Our efforts in this regard were based upon the Arab League Constitution, which safeguards peace and security of every state, and protects states sovereignty on their own territories and resources, as well as protect their right to enjoy no interference in their internal affairs, and to resort to dialogue as a base and method for settling differences.
We have reaffirmed on these basis, the importance of respecting the independence, and sovereignty of the state of Kuwait, and guaranteeing its security and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognised borders.
Simultaneously, we reaffirmed the respect of Iraqi sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and supported putting an end to the imposed blockade and other procedures which infringe on its security and sovereignty over all its territories.
Majesties, Excellencies, Highnesses
The terrorist acts inflicted upon some American cities last September, posed a new challenge to Arabs and Muslims. Some ignorant following of the Islamic faith used Islam's principles and noble values to distort the image of Islam and Muslims. This prompted us to interact with the Western public opinion, in order to dispel these accusations. I assured the American administration, and all Western officials whom I met, of the Arab stance on these events, which is based on the following facts:
First: The Arab world condemns and rejects all forms of terrorism, and the Islamic faith is innocent of any such false accusations. Terrorism is linked to no specific religion, nor to any particular people.
Second: The Arab world refuses categorically any attempts to use these events, as a pretence to attack any Arab state, or hold it responsible for it, or blame it for it. Any attempt to linking or comparing these events to what is happening in the occupied Palestinian territories is totally rejected and baseless.
Third: Combating terrorism in the world, should not be confined to military operations, but should establish fundamental and fair solutions to a number of political, economic and social problems, of which many peoples suffer. Frustration and despair, poverty and the sense of absence of justice anywhere in this world, can constitute a fertile environment for the spread of violence and terrorism.
Majesties, Excellencies, Highnesses
Israel is attempting to convince the world, that its security will remain threatened, even if a settlement is reached with our Palestinian brethren claiming that the Palestinian National Authority is unable to honour its commitments, due to Arab interference in the authority's decisions. Therefore, the commitment of all Arab states at the 1974 Rabat summit, should be stressed. The Rabat summit requires us all, to respect and support the Palestinian National Authority decisions, being the legitimate Palestinian leadership, without interfering in or tampering with the Palestinian leadership decisions. The Palestinian National Authority is capable of best identifying its own people's interest and sufferings under the occupation.
The absence of the Palestinian leader from this summit, requires from us all to provide more support and backing to the Palestinian brethren in facing the Israeli arrogance.
We also have to stress our commitment to the 1996 Cairo summit resolution, which clearly states, that a just and comprehensive peace, based on international legitimacy, Madrid's terms of reference, and land-for-peace principle, is a strategic aim for the Arab nation.
The return of Arab rights and all occupied territories to its peoples, would guarantee the prevalence of balanced and equal security to all countries in the region, including Israel. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz's initiative, which we endorse and support, constitutes a primary foundation for achieving comprehensive peace in the region. We see that this initiative embodies Saudi Arabia's constant and continuous keenness to support our Palestinian brethren and their rights and just cause especially at this critical period of their noble struggle under occupation, siege, and barbaric military operations which Israeli forces exercise, against the defenceless and armless Palestinian people.
This initiative also sends a clear message to the whole world that the Arabs want peace and that they are working to achieve peace for all the peoples of the region, and that Israel is the one blocking the achievement of peace.
Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses
Whilst we congratulate our Lebanese brethren in presiding over this Arab summit, we implore Allah to guide us all to the good of our Arab nation, and to help His Excellency the President of Lebanon, Emile Lahhoud, in shouldering this immense responsibilities, assuring His Excellency, that we will do our utmost to offer him all our support, backing and cooperation to make his great mission a success.
Peace be upon you, Allah's Mercy, and His Blessings.