ARAB causes are supreme in Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah's scheme of things. The Monarch's discussions on Wednesday night with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Sharm El-Sheikh are a clear testimony to the fact that regional stability is of paramount importance to Saudi Arabia. The visit to Egypt shows the Monarch's keenness on continuation of consultation and coordination with Arab countries to effectively confront the many challenges faced by the region. Stability in Iraq which is in the throes of a daily dose of violence, political uncertainty in Lebanon and an end to Israeli expansionist policies and its continued brutalities against Palestinians are the overriding concerns for the leaders of the region. It is in this context that the Saudi-Egyptian talks were crucial as they helped the two countries to chalk out a tangible strategy to confront and tackle the challenges head-on. King Abdullah's visit to Egypt also lends strength to the Arab role in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine. After the meeting the two leaders have called for a just and comprehensive Mideast solution that would ensure the legitimate rights of the Palestinians to establish their own independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. Apart from discussing ways to further bolster Saudi-Egyptian bilateral relations, King Abdullah and President Mubarak, who both had stayed away from the Damascus Arab summit earlier this month, focused on Arab efforts to resolve the political crisis in Lebanon. On Iraq, the two leaders have emphasized the need to protect the country's security and territorial integrity. The Kingdom and its leadership enjoys an eminent position in the region and almost all Arab countries always look to King Abdullah for his insightful guidance, wise approach and determined stance in tackling any given crisis. Saudi Arabia has time and again emphasized that regional crises need regional solutions and any outside interference bodes ill for the sovereignty and stability of the Arab nations. In his quest for formulating a united stand on all the pressing issues, King Abdullah has this week held a series of meetings with the visiting Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. It is hoped that recent talks that the Saudi Monarch held with these leaders would result in arriving at a unified Arab response to the many crises plaguing the region. __
