Arab summit not to compromise to foreign pressure – minister

Mar 18, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — A senior Sudanese official said on Saturday that an upcoming summit of the Arab League, to be hosted by Khartoum later this month, would not make compromises to any foreign pressure.

Maj. Gen. Bakri Hassan Salih, Minister of the Sudanese Presidency and Head of the Preparing Committee for the Arab summit, said at a press conference that the summit would not issue any statement or take any decision contrary to the collective will of the Arab nations.

“Sudan hopes that this summit can help realize the Arab solidarity, reform the inter-Arab relations, overcome the current differences and avert foreign pressures from influencing the Arab decisions,” he said.

In addition, Salih revealed that the summit would also discuss cooperation between Arab and African countries, scientific research work in the Arab states, reforms of the Arab League and the Arab positions on the UN reforms.

But the Sudanese minister ruled out the possibility of discussing the issue of normalizing relations between Arab countries and Israel, saying “Khartoum will never become the stage for the normalization (of relations) with the Jewish state.”

The coming summit, scheduled to be held in the Sudanese capital on March 28-29, will group leaders and representatives from all the 22 members of the Arab League, including Iraq and the Palestinian National Authority, said Salih.

The summit will be preceded by a meeting of Arab financial ministers due on March 23, and a meeting of foreign ministers slated for March 25.

(Xinhua)