Nouakchott : Wrapping up its activities in the Mauritanian capital on Monday, the 27th Arab summit issued the Nouakchott Declaration, which stressed the importance of the Palestinian cause in the joint Arab action.
The declaration emphasized the importance of supporting the Palestinian people’s steadfastness in face of the systematic Israeli aggression, and devoting all efforts for the sake of a comprehensive, just and lasting solution based on the Arab Peace Initiative, the Madrid Principles, rules of international law and UN relevant resolutions.
The declaration welcomed the French initiative that called for holding an international peace conference that would lead to the establishment of a Palestinian sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital within a specified timeframe. It also called on the international community to implement international resolutions that would end the Israeli occupation and achieve the Israeli forces’ withdrawal from the entire Arab occupied territories, including the Syrian Golan Heights and occupied areas in South Lebanon. The Arab leaders also welcomed the recent Egyptian efforts to push forward the Middle East peace process.
The declaration stressed Arab states’ commitment to use the most effective means to protect Arab national security, by developing mechanisms to fight terrorism in all its forms, promoting peace and security, encouraging dialogue and fending off hatred and extremism. On the situation in Libya, the Nouakchott Declaration called on the conflicting parties to deploy all possible efforts to rebuild the country and face terrorist groups.
The Arab leaders have also urged the warring parties in Yemen to reach positive solutions at the ongoing Kuwait Peace Talks. They added that the current meetings held in Kuwait should be an opportunity to promote peaceful dialogue that would hopefully result in the establishment of stability and security in the war-torn country.
The Nouakchott Declaration also hoped that a peaceful solution would be reached in Syria to restore the country’s sovereignty, unity and the dignity of the Syrian people.
It also expressed Arab leaders’ commitment to support Iraq in preserving its unity and security and in facing terrorist groups and liberating territories controlled by the so-called ISIS. The Arab leaders welcomed the progress achieved in the national reconciliation in Somalia and the rebuilding of state institutions.
Regarding the crisis in Sudan, the leaders have expressed their solidarity with the Sudanese Republic for its efforts to promote peace and preserve its national sovereignty. They also welcomed the ongoing dialogue and the efforts to activate the Sudanese initiative on food security as one of the bases of Arab homeland security.
On terrorism, Arab leaders expressed their desire to create environments free of extremism and violence, by consolidating democratic ruling and instilling values of solidarity among Arab states, as well as promoting human skills, fostering Arab scientific research and offering proper job opportunities for citizens.
The Nouakchott Declaration voiced Arab leaders’ support to international and Arab humanitarian relief efforts aimed at assisting residents of war-stricken countries, as well as refugees, displaced persons and emigrants. It also called for developing modern mechanisms to meet urgent humanitarian needs and assist countries that are receiving refugees.—AB/IINA