SIRTE, Libya, Oct 9, (Agencies): Kuwait believes that the development of the joint Arab order should be primarily based on “a true economic partnership and social and economic integration among the Arab states,” His Highness the Amir of Kuwait said on Saturday.

HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, addressing the extraordinary Arab summit that opened here Saturday, stated, “My country affirms the necessity of solidifying mechanisms of the joint Arab action through activating the existing ones, averting mix-up of jurisdictions among the existing institutions, as this may hamper the march of the Arab League, which we are keen on keeping it lasting.

“Moreover, the State of Kuwait believes that the development of the joint Arab order should focus mainly on a true economic partnership, realizing the economic and social integration among the Arab states, factors of which had prompted us (Kuwait) to host the Arab Economic, Development and Social Summit, that was held in Kuwait in January 2009.” Sheikh Sabah indicated that he along with the other top Arab leaders were looking forward to holding the next Arab summit of such level, due in Egypt in Jan 11.
The Arab summit is being held amid challenges facing Arab security, and this “should prompt us to focus the deliberations on examining means for solidifying security in light of the contemporary international and regional challenges, thus our conference is of extraordinary significance as it is being held amid the search for finding new methods for the development of the common Arab action, an action that is solidly backed by the State of Kuwait within the framework of the Arab League that constitutes a pivotal foundation for the defense of the security interests of our great Arab homeland,” HH the Amir said.
The State of Kuwait affirms the necessity of devoting maximum attention to achieving Arab solidarity, convergence of Arab interests “for without such considerations, joint Arab action would not achieve the aspired outcomes and goals,” Sheikh Sabah said in his address to the top Arab leaders.

Giving prominence to the question of Iraq, Sheikh Sabah said Kuwait has been following up with great concern the developments in this country and hopes that the Iraqis will succeed in forming a new government for realising aspirations of the Iraqi people for stability and security and welfare.
Similarly, the State of Kuwait has been following up with deep concern the peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis that have remained fruitless as a result of Israel’s intransigence and insistence on maintaining the “barbaric policy of settlements’ expansion,” said HH the Amir.
He called on the super powers namely the US, as the sponsor of the peace process, the Quartet, the European Union and the international community to put pressure on Israel to halt the settlement activities, accept relevant UN resolutions for sake of comprehensive justice that could only be realized through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, implementation of the land for peace theme and the Arab peace initiative.
His Highness also devoted attention to the Sudanese issue, expressing hope that the referendum in the south would be held peacefully.
On Iran, HH the Amir affirmed Iran’s right to acquire nuclear energy for peaceful usage and according to regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency. He also renewed the call to clear the Middle East of weapons of mass destruction and urged Tehran to respond to international efforts for regional peace and stability, adding “such criterion should also be applied to Israel.”
Earlier, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi opened the summit in this coastal city by emphasizing the need to reform the work of the Arab League.
“This extraordinary summit comes in implementation of the last summit held in Sirte last March to discuss the new structure of the joint Arab action, “Gaddafi said in his opening address at the one-day summit.
“The summit in Sirte decided to establish an institution under my chairmanship and we met in Tripoli last June and discussed the matter of the structure according to the summit resolution and we’ve reached a draft that we’ll review in our meeting and that’s why we’re meeting now,” Gaddafi added.
For his part, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said that the summit will discuss two main items, the first of which was presented by the last summit’s five-member committee and tackled reforming the work of the Arab organization.
Moussa said that the second item touches on ways of bolstering ties with regional neighbors.
He said that the Arab League has played a key role in defending issues related to Arabs and Islam, as well as climate change and food crises. Moussa echoed Gaddafi’s call to reform the League’s work “for his initiative and determination to go forward”.
On boosting ties with neighbors, he said that such matter springs from needs and interests, adding that he presented a memorandum on this matter and has received some comments from member states.
Concluding, Moussa said the leaders will tackle issues related to the Arab-Israeli conflict and the situation in Sudan.
Following Moussa’s address, the talks went behind closed doors.
Peace
Meanwhile, the United States pledged to keep working to move the peace process forward late Friday after Arab League ministers gave Washington a month to save direct Middle East peace talks.
The ministers, meeting in Sirte, Libya, made it clear in a statement issued Friday that the Israeli-Palestinian talks would collapse if Israel did not halt its settlement building in the occupied West Bank.
The Arab League Follow-up Committee said in a statement it would meet “in a month to review the alternatives proposed by (Palestinian President Mahmud) Abbas to determine the necessary steps to be taken on this.”
The committee on the Middle East peace process, which groups 13 Arab foreign ministers, also urged Washington to pursue efforts in the interim to stop Israeli settlement activity.
It added that it “supports the position of the Palestinian president calling for a total cessation of (Israeli) settlement to allow the resumption of direct negotiations.”
Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said the statement “offers huge support for the position of president Abbas.
“The committee will convene again in a month to study the alternatives, which gives the US administration a chance between now and then to try to find a solution to the settlements issue,” Abu Rudeina said.
Washington appreciated the Arab League’s statement of support for its efforts, US State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley said in a written statement.
“We will continue to work with the parties, and all our international partners, to advance negotiations toward a two-state solution and encourage the parties to take constructive actions toward that end,” Crowley added.
An official who attended the Arab League ministers meeting told AFP on condition of anonymity that among the alternatives proposed by Abbas if the talks fail was asking the UN Security Council and Washington to recognise a Palestinian state on 1967 pre-war borders.
Another was a recourse to the UN General Assembly to demand that the occupied territories be placed under international mandate.
Abbas came to Sirte to seek Arab backing to withdraw from the peace negotiations after Israel adamantly refused to extend a freeze on settlement building that expired on Sept 26.
Last-ditch efforts to reach a compromise appeared to have failed, with Israel silent on the moratorium and the Palestinians insisting they would not talk while settlement activity continued on land they want as a future state.
The ministers’ statement came after Arab League chief Amr Mussa gave a dire assessment of the outlook for the peace talks, which resumed on Sept 2 after a 20-month hiatus.
“The situation is negative and is not favourable to direct negotiations,” Mussa said, adding there were many alternative measures the Arabs could take including “going to the (UN) Security Council.”