Abul-Gheit: 27th Arab Summit in Mauritania focuses taking unified Arab decisions

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit said the 27th Arab Summit in Mauritania will focus on matters related to taking unified Arab decisions at all levels, not only at the political level.

In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Abul Gheit said there is devastation and heavy losses in Arab countries, particularly Libya, Iraq and Yemen that were divided.

He deemed the convocation of the Arab Summit at this time as "a great success", expecting from 12 to 15 Arab leaders to attend the summit, set for July 27-28.

There is hope in integration and cooperation among Arab states and benefiting from resources to shore up economic ties among all Arab countries.

Some civil society organizations obtained funds worth 50 million dollars annually to promote the idea of the Arab Spring, Abul Gheit said.

The division of Arab countries started in 2011, he noted, asserting that foreign conspiracies could be eradicated by unity and cooperation among Arab countries.

Shifting to South Sudan, Abul Gheit said that Arab language is used in South Sudan, adding that former AL secretary general Nabil el Arabi requested the joining of South Sudan of the AL as an observer.

However, he saw that preparations are needed, particularly in light of the current conditions in South Sudan. 
As for Syria's seat in the Arab League, Abul Gheit said this matter will be settled through negotiations with all Syrian parties, stressing the necessity of the presence of a transitional presidential council to represent the Syrian state.

In his interview with the BBC, Abul Gheit said regardless of who rules Syria, the Syrian opposition and the regime should outline a roadmap that draws the features of the Syrian state in the coming period.

The situation in Syria is tragic and necessities an Arab vision by brotherly countries, he added.

Both the United States and Russia are exerting efforts that apparently back only the military solution, Abul Gheit said, adding however the fact is that both countries are doing efforts at the diplomatic level to avoid military action in Syria.

The military action will target armed and terrorist organizations, like Daesh and Al Nusra Front and Al Qaeda, Abul Gheit made it clear.

Asked about his first foreign tour of Sudan after he assumed his post, Abul Gheit underlined the major role played by Sudanese President Omar al Bashir in the coming period.

Sudan shoulders the responsibility of implementing the Arab Food Security Initiative after it pledged to provide all potentials of water and lands in this regard, he said. 

The initiative, which was introduced by the Sudanese president in 2013, is an attempt to find an alternative source of national income to substitute for oil revenues lost with the secession of South Sudan.   
As for the issues tabled on the agenda of the coming Arab Summit, Abul Gheit said the summit will take decisions related to Iraq, Syria and Libya.

The participants will also discuss filling the food gap in Sudan and means of helping it after the UN troops' withdrawal, as well as establishing a joint center for research into the causes of chronic immune diseases, he said.

A host of military and political matters on cooperation among member states to fight terrorism will be also discussed at the summit, he added.

He said he is enthusiastic about amending the Charter of Arab League, underlining that this charter causes many problems among the member states, topped by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. 

The Palestinian cause will always remain the most important matter for the Arab League and its member states, Abul Gheit concluded.

Source: MENA