Posted on 08/11/2003 11:31:52 AM PDT by yatros from flatwater
DAMASCUS (Reuters) - The leaders of Syria and Saudi Arabia have discussed ways of improving Arab cooperation as the two countries face U.S. accusations over alleged terror links, diplomats said Sunday.
"They want to create some unified stances to present Arabs as a united front," one diplomat said after Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah arrived in Damascus late Saturday to meet President Bashar al-Assad.
Syrian official media reported that the talks "tackled proposed ways of developing and activating Arab cooperation...in the face of the broadside that the Arab world is facing."
The United States accuses Syria of supporting anti-Israel "terrorist" groups that Damascus describes as freedom fighters. A U.S. congressional report has implied that Saudi Arabia had a role in the September, 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. cities that killed about 3,000 people.
Both Syria and Saudi Arabia have won U.S. praise for their help in Washington's war against terrorism.
"They (Assad and Prince Abdullah) discussed joint stances...that would achieve the Arab world's aspiration for security and stability," Syrian state radio said.
"The situation in the region and around it is very dangerous and all that is going on represents a great motive for Arabs to rise and prepare to defend their land, sovereignty, holy shrines and dignity," added the state-owned newspaper, Teshreen, in an editorial Sunday.
Arabs Push Common Agenda
Salah Mutawalley • Arab News Staff —
CAIRO, 12 August 2003 — Saudi Arabia and Egypt yesterday stepped up their efforts to forge a common Arab policy on Iraq and the Israeli- Palestinian peace process.
Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, held a second round of talks here yesterday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak before leaving for Morocco.
The Saudi-Egyptian talks focused on forging a common Arab position on vital issues including Palestine and Iraq, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said.
“The two leaders reviewed the Arab situation and how to overcome difficulties there and strengthen Arab solidarity,” Maher told reporters after the summit talks.
He said Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria agreed on the need to revive joint Arab action to address important issues such as Palestine, Iraq and Israeli aggression.
Following talks with US Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs William Burns, the Egyptian minister called for a stronger US role in implementing the road map for Middle East peace.
He also called for an “active UN role” to help the Iraqi people “assume total responsibility and exercise its sovereignty.”
Maher also met with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Syria, Prince Saud Al-Faisal and Farouk Shara.
After his meeting with Maher, Burns reiterated Washington’s “determination” to pursue implementation of the road map, which calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state by 2005, and also to work toward restoring Iraq’s sovereignty.
But he cautioned the road map was a “difficult process,” and stressed US concerns about a resurgence of tension on Israel’s northern border following two separate attacks by Hezbollah last week.
He also repeated that Iraq’s US-backed Governing Council should be recognized by Arab capitals as a necessary tool in the transition to a fully sovereign government and urged greater Arab investment in the country’s crippled postwar economy.
Meanwhile, the US administration has voiced concern that a security fence which Israel is building across the West Bank could complicate negotiations on the borders of a future independent Palestine.
Secretary of State Colin Powell said Washington was considering whether to penalize Israel for the construction of the fence.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=30192&d=12&m=8&y=2003
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.