PRINCE SAUD ALFAISAL, THE FOREIGN MINISTER, HELD THE PERIODICAL PRESS BRIEFING AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE FOREIGN MINISTRY TODAY. AT THE OUTSET OF THE STATEMENT, HE SAID THE REGION IS CURRENTLY WITNESSING AN INTENSIVE POLITICAL ACTIVITY TO ENHANCE CEASE-FIRE AND IMPLEMENT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 1701 AND PROBE THE OVERALL POLITICAL PROCESS IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE RECENT JOG THAT HIT THE REGION. WE UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RECENT EXTRAORDINARY ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING AND ITS DECISIONS, MOST IMPORTANT OF WHICH ARE THE ASSERTION OF COMPLETE ARAB SOLIDARITY WITH LEBANON, PROVISION OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT FOR IT SO THAT IT COULD PRESERVE ITS NATIONAL UNITY, SECURITY, STABILITY AND SOVEREIGNTY AND REHABILITATION IN ADDITION TO THE CALL OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERING THE ISRAELI ARAB CONFLICT IN A RADICAL AND COMPREHENSIVE FORM IN VIEW OF THE EXTREME DANGER EMANATING FROM THE CONTINUATION OF THE STATUS QUO AT THE EXPENSE OF REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND PEACE. AS FOR THE CALL FOR CONVENING AN EXTRAORDINARY ARAB SUMMIT, HE SAID AS WE ALL KNOW THE KINGDOM HAS NO RESERVATION ON SUCH A PROPOSAL EXCEPT THAT, AS I MENTIONED IN THE MEETING, IT SHOULD BE WELL PREPARED IN A WAY THAT MEETS THE ARAB SUMMIT ASPIRATIONS AND ISSUES DRAMATIC DECISIONS THAT TACKLE THE CURRENT ARAB SITUATION AND PRODUCES SOME QUALITATIVE WAY OF REACTION AS WHAT IS REQUIRED AS THE CURRENT PHASE IS THE OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF THE ARAB LEAGUE AND ITS MEMBER STATES AND FIXING THE FRUITFUL AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH OF WORK THAT ENABLES IT TO ACCOMPLISH ITS JOB. WHAT IS REQUIRED NOW IS TO OVERPASS WHAT WE CAN CALL THE REACTION MEETINGS WHERE PEOPLE ARE SATISFIED WITH DENUNCIATION STATEMENTS TO MOVE TO THE TANGIBLE AND POSITIVE ACTIONS OF THE WORLD OF TODAY IN A WAY THAT RESPONDS TO THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE ARAB NATION PEOPLES AND SNATCH THEM FROM THE CURRENT STATE OF UPSET AND FRUSTRATION . PRINCE SAUD GAVE AN ACCOUNT ON THE ARAB LEAGUE'S DEVELOPMENT. HE SAID THE ORGANIZATION WAS ESTABLISHED AS AN ALLIANCE THAT DRAWS CLEAR LINES TO THE BILATERAL RELATIONS OF ITS MEMBER STATES AND THEIR RELATIONS WITH OTHERS. THERE WAS CONSENSUS ON THE NATURE AND THE CORE OF THREATS AND THE JOINT ASPIRATIONS OF COOPERATION BUT AS THE ARAB LEAGUE EXPANDED AND ITS MEMBERSHIP INCREASED AND ITS MEMBERS WITNESSED DRAMATIC CHANGES AND POLITICAL FLUCTUATIONS, THIS LED TO DOMESTIC PRESSURES THAT AFFECTED THE JOINT ARAB PATH. FOR INSTANCE, THE ARAB COUNTRIES WERE CLASSIFIED TO REACTIONISTS AND PROGRESSIVE AND THE COUNTRIES OF STEADFAST AND CONFRONTATION E.T.C., A MATTER THAT LED TO THE JOINT ARAB PARALYSIS AND WHEREBY IT MANAGED TO DEAL WITH ITS JOINT MATTERS PERIODICALLY AND ROUTINELY INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH IT ACCORDING TO A STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE THAT COMPLIES WITH OUR ARAB BELONGINGNESS. WE ARE FACING THE DANGER OF LOSING OUR IDENTITY AS SOME ARAB COUNTRIES HAVE BUILT RELATIONS WITH OTHER PARTIES AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER ARAB MEMBER STATES. ACCORDINGLY, THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES INSTRUCTED THAT THE REQUIRED STUDIES TO CHANGE THE DISASTROUS SITUATION CHANGES BE CONDUCTED. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW. AS SOON AS WE COMPLETE IT, IT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE ARAB LEADERS TO CONSIDER IT . THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE ARE GOING TO OBSTRUCT ANY ATTEMPT OF HOLDING OF ANY URGENT EXTRAORDINARY CONFERENCE THAT WILL BE CALLED FOR BY ANY OTHER PARTY. THE CURRENT PHASE NECESSITATES SERIOUS AND STRENUOUS WORK TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE OF OUR PEOPLES AND RESPECT OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY. THIS WILL NOT BY REALIZED BY WISHES BUT THROUGH THE RETURN TO OUR ARAB IDENTITY AND SERIOUS WORK TO UNIFY AND CLARIFY OUR VISIONS TOWARDS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT INTEREST. --MORE
