In a meeting with Saudi media in Algiers today, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal referred to the importance of the ‘Pledge of Accord and Solidarity’ that was issued at the 16th Arab Summit in Tunis, and reported that Arab member states have been ratifying the document. Prince Saud has been attending the foreign ministers’ meetings to prepare the agenda for the 17th Summit of the League of Arab States that is scheduled to begin tomorrow in Algiers. This agenda includes ratification of the ‘Pledge of Accord and Solidarity’, as well as activation of the Arab Peace Initiative on the Middle East that was endorsed by the 2002 Beirut Summit, and an amendment to the Arab League’s Charter. Also on the agenda are the current situations in Iraq and in Sudan.

Concerning the Arab Peace Initiative, Prince Saud reported that the Arab council of foreign ministers had unanimously agreed on the need to activate it, given international developments such as the new situation in Palestine, recent efforts by the U.S. administration, and support from the European countries of a new dialogue between the two sides and the revival of both the Quartet Committee and the ‘roadmap’.

Prince Saud then explained that each Arab state would have four members in an Arab Parliament, in a proposal that has been endorsed by the foreign ministers and that will be submitted to the Summit.

To a question on reform of the United Nations, he said the ministerial council was in unanimous agreement that there should be a seat for an Arab member in an expanded UN Security Council. They also agreed that there should be real reform by restoring full authority to the General Assembly and restricting the use of veto in the Security Council.

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