ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS STATEMENT ON ARAB

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001176

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MEPN KPAL ARABL EG IS
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS STATEMENT ON ARAB
PEACE INITIATIVE

REF: CAIRO 1162 (NOTAL)


1. (U) Foreign ministers of the Arab League's committee
assigned to follow up on the League's Arab Peace Initiative
(API) -- or Beirut 2002 Initiative -- met in Cairo on April
18 to determine the manner in which the League will seek to
market the API with Israel and the international community.
A formal communique was produced by the 14-member committee
following their lengthy deliberations. The text of their
communique is located at paragraph two. Reftel provides a
more nuanced readout of the meeting provided by AL Secretary
General Moussa's Chief of Staff.


2. (U) Text of Arab League's April 18 Communique (unofficial
Embassy translation):

Begin text:

Meeting of the Ministerial Committee on the Arab Peace
Initiative
Cairo, April 18, 2007

In follow up to the implementation of the Riyadh Summit
resolution to reactivate the Arab Peace Initiative, the
concerned ministerial committee responsible for the
initiative held a meeting today, chaired by the Saudi Foreign
Minister, and attended by foreign ministers of state members
of the committee, along with the Arab League Secretary
General. They discussed Arab diplomatic and political steps
during the coming period and goals for the committee to
achieve with regards to consultations and contacts with the
UN Secretary General, members of the UN Security Council, the
international Quartet, and concerned parties in the peace
process to mobilize support for this initiative and to
reactivate the peace process.

After the committee reviewed efforts exerted to activate the
peace process and evaluate its developments in the light of
new occurrences towards the Arab Peace Initiative, the
committee adopted the following:

First: Formation of a Working Team:

Forming an Arab Ministerial delegation including Jordan,
Saudi Arabia, Syria, Palestine, Qatar, Lebanon, Egypt,
Morocco, and the AL Secretary General to offer the Arab point
of view on means to implement the Initiative and to consult
on means to resume the peace process on all fronts and
achieving peaceful settlement within a determined time frame,
and preparing a chain of collateral or one-on-one meetings
with the UNSG, SC Members, International Quartet, European
Union, European Parliament, African Union, Organization of
American States, Organization of Islamic Conferences,
Non-Aligned Movement, Japan, Norway, and other concerned
countries and international and regional organizations. The
delegation should commence its duties and contacts as soon as
possible.

In implementation of AL Riyadh Summit number 367, Egypt and
Jordan (the two Arab States that regained their lands),are
to exert efforts to reactivate the Arab Peace Initiative and
facilitate the commencement of direct negotiations (with
Israel); this is in accordance with paragraph 2 of the
relevant summit resolution which once again calls upon the
Israeli Government and all Israelis to accept the Arab Peace
Initiative and make use of the chance to resume direct and
serious negotiations on all fronts.

At the time when Israel should halt its practices in the
Occupied Territories, especially lifting of the blockade on
the Palestinian people, halting the establishment of
settlements, building its wall, conducting excavations in
Jerusalem, in addition to a return to the status quo ante on
September 28, 2000, an expanded work team will be formed to
conduct contacts with the Israeli Government and to consult
on means of achieving peaceful settlement in accordance with
a specific time frame.

The work team will present a report of its efforts to the AL
Secretary General along with proposals for the Arab League's

SIPDIS
Peace Initiative Committee.

Second: Political Framework for the Working Team:

-- Assures the Arab States intentions to reach a
comprehensive and fair peace and end the Arab-Israeli
conflict in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and the
principals and basis upon which it is established;

-- Assures the commitment of Arab States to the Arab Peace

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Initiative which calls for a fair settlement and peace with
Israel, based on international legitimate resolutions and
principals contained in relevant UN resolutions, Madrid
Conference references, the principal of land-for-peace and
not allowing the acquisition of land by force, Roadmap, and
signed agreements and understandings between concerned
parties;

-- Calls upon the Israeli Government and all Israelis to
accept the Arab Peace Initiative and making use of the chance
to resume direct and serious negotiations on all fronts to
achieve a peaceful settlement in accordance to a specific
time frame;

-- Assures that the Arab commitment to achieve a fair and
comprehensive peace to the Arab-Israeli conflict and the
establishment of normal relations with Israel within that
framework, require a parallel commitment by the Israeli
Government to achieve that peace and take the necessary
procedures to build trust and start serious negotiations on
all fronts, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and
agreed international terms of references related to the peace
process and to build upon what has been achieved thus far;

Third: Calls for the holding of an international meeting
with the participation of regional and international
concerned parties, to be sponsored by the UN and the
international Quartet to launch direct negotiations on all
fronts in accordance with agreed-upon terms of references,
with a time frame to achieve it.

Fourth: Calls upon the AL Secretariat to propose to the Arab
Peace Initiative Committee a list of activities to directly
address decision makers at universities, institutions,
research centers, media, and political associations which
influence decision-making at the regional and the
international level, to promote the Arab Peace Initiative and
explain the Arab point of view in order to revive the peace
process on all fronts. Arab states are to provide the
necessary financing (for this effort).

Fifth: Calls upon the AL Secretary General to coordinate
these efforts by consulting with the Committee,s Presidency
and preparing reports for the Committee,s next meeting, to
evaluate the situation and make proposals for the League,s
planned emergency ministerial meeting planned for the first
half of June 2007.

End text.
RICCIARDONE