Arab Foreign Ministers Back Initiative on Lebanon, Moussa Visiting Beirut Soon

by **Admin** Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:09 am

Arab foreign ministers on Thursday expressed support to the Arab initiative on Lebanon and tasked Secretary General Amr Moussa to continue efforts to implement it.

"It has been agreed on a plan related to the initiative and its support," Moussa said in a joint press conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem after the ministers' preparatory talks to the Arab League summit.

The Arab League chief also said that the foreign ministers tasked him to continue his efforts to implement the initiative which calls for the election of Army Chief Gen. Michel Suleiman president, the formation of a national unity government in which no one party has veto power and the adoption of a new electoral law.

Moussa said he will visit Beirut soon, adding that "there is a single initiative that enjoys major backing and we have to continue in that path" to salvage Lebanon.

Lebanon is boycotting the March 29-30 Damascus summit, while Egypt and Saudi Arabia have announced they are sending only low-level officials to the gathering in a snub to Syria.

The responsibility to solve the crisis in Beirut "falls on the Lebanese first and second on Arab countries that have special relations with Lebanon and which could encourage Lebanese sides (to reach) dialogue and understanding on the basis of no victor no vanquished," Muallem told the press conference.

When asked about Lebanese Premier Fouad Saniora's intention to relay Lebanon's message to the world, Muallem said: "Those who don't attend the summit, don't give a speech."

On Wednesday, Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh said Saniora's "statement or address to be screened worldwide could have a better impact than the summit discussions that would be held behind closed doors at Syria's wish."

The Syrian foreign minister also didn't comment about reports that Lebanon would ask for a meeting at another venue than Damascus by either Arab foreign ministers or heads of state to tackle Lebanese-Syrian relations.

In his opening speech of Thursday's meeting, Muallem called on Saudi Arabia to use its influence over the anti-Syrian March 14 majority in Lebanon in order to resolve the political crisis that has paralyzed government institutions.

Other than backing the Arab initiative on Lebanon, the foreign ministers agreed during their preparatory talks to re-launch the Arab peace initiative and tasked Moussa to prepare a working paper on inter-Arab differences for discussion during the weekend summit.