Arab News: The concerns of the people of Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Yemen were the main topic of the opening session of a meeting of Arab ministers held in preparation for the Arab development summit on Sunday in Beirut.
The meeting in the Lebanese capital’s Phoenicia Hotel saw unprecedented security measures covering a large area, including the summit’s venues and the accommodation of guests and journalists. Only three presidents have so far confirmed their attendance at the summit — those of Lebanon, Somalia and Mauritania.
However, the Arab League’s Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki called for “separating between the attendance and the summit itself, and the importance of its topics and the resolutions it will produce.”
During a media briefing, Zaki said: “The attendance of Arab leaders will undoubtedly increase the importance of the summit, but their absence, which has spurred media commentary, does not diminish the importance of the topics addressed by the summit — and many summits are not attended by presidents.”
The summit’s media spokesman Rafic Chlala told Arab News: “The presidents who decided not to attend the summit have sent their delegates, which means the summit hasn’t failed, as some are trying to portray it.”
He said Lebanese President Michel Aoun will propose at the summit “a funding project for the reconstruction of all Arab countries devastated by war.” Chlala added: “We’re waiting for states that requested amendments to the initiative.”
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Friday conveyed President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s apology for not being able to attend the summit “due to commitments that obliged him to stay in Cairo.”
On whether Egypt will support Aoun’s initiative at the summit, Shoukry said: “Egypt supports all that would achieve the common Arab interest.”
Zaki said: “The Syrian displacement issue is on the agenda but the visions are dissimilar.” At the meeting, Syria’s seat was empty due to its suspension from the Arab League, and Libya’s seat was empty because it is boycotting the summit after supporters of the Lebanese Amal Movement tore down the Libyan flag in Beirut.
“Syria’s return to the Arab League requires an Arab consensus, as in the case of the suspension of its membership,” said Zaki.
“Syria’s return to the Arab League is natural and normal, as it has not lost its seat and has not been expelled, but its membership was suspended.”
Prior to the ministerial session, Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Raed Khoury said: “Most of the agenda items have been approved… but there are some matters that are being discussed.”
He added: “A discussion is being held on the safe and dignified return of Syrian refugees, and the mechanism for financing countries that have suffered from armed conflicts.”
Ahmed Abdul Aziz Kattan, Saudi Arabia’s minister of state for African affairs, handed over the chairmanship of the ministerial meeting to Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil.