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Arab Reconciliation on Tripoli Summit’s Agenda – Arab League SecGen | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi held meetings and communicated with a number of Arab leaders in order to clear the air in the run up to the Tripoli Summit, complimenting the [reconciliation] efforts undertaken by Saudi Arabia and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa met with Gaddafi, during which they discussed the agenda for the forthcoming Arab League summit, as well as the closed meeting between Arab leaders which is set to take place during the summit.

Informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Arab reconciliation and putting an end to the problems between Egypt and Algeria and Qatar and Syria will be on the Tripoli Summit agenda. The source said that this reconciliation is something that requires Arab mediation and that the coming days will witness large diplomatic movement between Arab capitals, especially Cairo, Riyadh, and Tripoli.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi met with Arab League Secretary General Amr Mousa over the course of three days in Tripoli during the past week. Gaddafi then met with Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim al-Thani, who delivered a message from the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani, about the importance of successful joint-Arab operations which is something that is absent from the Arab arena and has a negative impact on all Arab issues. A third meeting took place in Libya between Colonel Gaddafi and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad; the two leaders discussed Arab reconciliation and bridging the gaps in the viewpoints between various Arab regimes.

The source informed Asharq Al-Awsat that bilateral, and perhaps even tripartite or quarter, summits are expected to take place in the coming days in order to clear the air prior to the forthcoming Arab Summit, as well as resolve Arab disputes and conclude agreements on new principles that combine the efforts of all Arab regimes and employ this on crucial issues that affect the region and Arab national security.

In a telephone interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa clarified that his meeting with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was to discuss preparations for the forthcoming Arab Summit that is scheduled to take place in Tripoli on 27 March. Mousa said that this meeting was to discuss important political issues on the agenda of the Tripoli Summit, he added that the peace process which is currently undergoing difficult and in fact is close to collapse will be at the top of the Tripoli Summit agenda. He also revealed that the situation in Iraq and Yemen is set to be discussed during the summit, as well as activating the role played by the Arab league and thereby enabling it to take the lead in Arab [diplomatic] action.

Mousa also told Asharq Al-Awsat that during his meeting with Gaddafi, they discussed the UN Security Council’s role in international peace and security issues, and also reviewed Arab League institutions, particularly the Arab Security Council and the Arab Parliament, which is set to become the permanent Arab parliament.

As for whether any new issues will be added to the Tripoli Summit agenda in a non-traditional manner, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa told Asharq Al-Awsat that during his meeting with Gaddafi the two discussed the closed door meeting of Arab leaders and heads of states where issues of major importance will be discussed.