17/10/2006. THE CONFERENCE ALSO URGED MEMBER STATES TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ISSUED BY THE COUNCIL, THANKING THE MEMBER STATES AND ARAB FUNDS WHICH PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED AIDS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT. THE CONFERENCE DEMANDED THE REST OF MEMBER STATES TO FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATIONS STATED IN ARAB SUMMIT CONFERENCES REGARDING THE SUPPORT FOR LEBANON. ARAB LEADERS AFFIRMED SUPPORTING LEBANON IN: -- ITS SOVEREIGN RIGHT TO PRACTICE ITS POLITICAL CHOICES WITHIN CONSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. -- ITS DEMAND FOR THE RELEASE OF LEBANESE PRISONERS AND DETAINEES IN ISRAELI PRISONS. -- ITS DEMAND FOR THE REMOVAL OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MINES LEFT BEHIND BY THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION. -- ITS CALL ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS WELL AS JUDICIAL AND POLITICAL AUTHORITIES TO PUT PRESSURE ON ISRAEL TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION TO LEBANON FOR THE LOSS AND DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION AND REPEATED ATTACKS ON THE LEBANESE TERRITORIES. WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF LEBANESE AGREEMENT ON THE PRINCIPLE OF SETTING UP A COURT OF AN INTERNATIONAL NATURE, THE SUMMIT STRESSED THE NEED FOR UNEARTHING THE TRUTH BEHIND THE TERRORIST ASSASSINATION THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF PRIME MINISTER RAFIQ AL-HARIRI AND HIS COLLEAGUES AS WELL AS THE OTHER TERRORIST ASSASSINATIONS EVER SINCE THE ATTEMPT AGAINST MINISTER MARWAN HAMADAH. THE GATHERING STRESSED THE RIGHT OF THE PALESTINIAN REFUGES TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES, WARNING THAT FAILURE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE OF THE PALESTINIANS RESIDING IN LEBANON AND ATTEMPTS TO RESETTLE THEM WILL DESTABILIZE THE REGION AND HINDER THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A JUST PEACE IN THE REGION. THE MEETING STRONGLY CONDEMNED INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, NOTING THAT THE ARAB STATES ARE EFFECTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN ANTI-TERROR EFFORTS AND DRAWING A LINE BETWEEN TERRORISM AND THE LEGITIMATE RESISTANCE AGAINST THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION. CONSIDERING LEBANON AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ARAB NATION, THE SUMMIT URGED ALL LEBANESE FACTIONS TO ENTER INTO A NATIONAL DIALOGUE, CALLING ON ALL LEBANESE TO EXERT EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE CURRENT POLITICAL CRISIS. --MORE
