King at Arab Summit in Jeddah urges capitalising on opportunities for Arab cooperation

• King welcomes Syria’s return to Arab League as important step

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Friday stressed that there can be no hesitation in capitalising on the opportunities before Arab countries, in service of the interests of their peoples.

Delivering a speech at the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Council of the League of Arab States at the Summit Level in Jeddah, King Abdullah reaffirmed that the Palestinian cause continues to be “the centre of our attention, and we cannot abandon our pursuit of just and comprehensive peace”, according to a Royal Court statement.

Speaking at the summit, attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, His Majesty called for stepping up regular Arab meetings, at the highest levels, to achieve economic integration in the region and unify Arab political and security efforts.

The King welcomed Syria’s return to the Arab League as an important step, voicing hope that it would contribute to efforts to end the crisis.

His Majesty stressed the importance of bolstering the political track launched from the Amman Meeting, which built on the Jordanian initiative, as well as Saudi and Arab efforts to end the Syrian crisis and address its humanitarian, security, and political implications.

The King also expressed support for the steps taken by the Iraqi government to restore Iraq’s role and stature within the Arab region, while bolstering its stability, prosperity, and sovereignty.

Following is the English translation of His Majesty’s speech at the 32nd Arab Summit in Jeddah:

“In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful,

Prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad,

My brother, Your Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,

Your Majesties, Highnesses, Excellencies,

Your Excellency, Secretary General of the League of Arab States,

Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

I would like to begin by extending our deepest thanks and gratitude to my brother, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for hosting this summit, and for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s dedication to strengthening Arab cooperation.

My thanks also to our brethren in Algeria for hosting the previous summit.

My brothers,

Distinguished guests,

Out of our constant need to develop and renew joint Arab action, the Arab League’s role is essential in maximising cooperation, especially at the economic level, among our countries to counter the challenges caused by international crises.

In this vein, I would like to highlight the trilateral cooperation mechanism between Jordan, and our brothers and sisters in Egypt and Iraq, as well as the Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Growth, which brings together Jordan, the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain. These, and other ongoing cooperation projects with our brethren in Gulf Arab countries, are examples of what can be achieved at a wider scale.

My brothers,

Distinguished guests,

The Palestinian cause continues to be the centre of our attention, and we cannot abandon our pursuit of just and comprehensive peace, which will not be achieved unless the Palestinian people gain their right to an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the basis of the two-state solution.

There can be no peace nor security as long as settlement building, land confiscations, home demolitions, and Palestinians’ displacement from their land continue. There can be no peace with the elimination of the prospects that remain for the two-state solution, which grants the Palestinian people their legitimate rights. The alternative will plunge the entire region into endless conflict.

And nothing is more important to us than respecting the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites. We dedicate all our resources to safeguarding and maintaining the holy city’s Arab, Islamic, and Christian character, under the Hashemite Custodianship of its holy sites.

My brothers,

Distinguished guests,

We have constantly warned of the continuation of the Syrian crisis unresolved. The Syrian people have paid a heavy price for the crisis, and its implications have affected us all.

Today, we welcome Syria’s return to the Arab League, as an important step that we hope will contribute to efforts to end the crisis.

We also stress the importance of bolstering the political track that was launched from the Amman Meeting, and built on the Jordanian initiative, as well as Saudi and Arab efforts to end the crisis and address its humanitarian, security, and political implications, so that the refugees can return to their homeland.

My brothers,

Distinguished guests,

Iraq’s stability is integral to our region’s stability, and its security is critical for our national security. As such, we support the steps taken by the Iraqi government to restore Iraq’s role and stature within the Arab region, while bolstering its stability, prosperity, and sovereignty. And we look forward to building on the Baghdad I and Baghdad II conferences to enhance regional cooperation with Iraq.

My brothers,

Distinguished guests,

There can be no hesitation in capitalising on the opportunities before us, in service of the interests of our countries and our peoples. Therefore, we must step up regular Arab meetings, at the highest levels, to achieve economic integration in our region and unify our political and security efforts.

In conclusion, I renew my thanks to my brother, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and to the government and the proud people of Saudi Arabia for hosting this summit. And I pray that God guide us towards success, in the best interest of our nations and our peoples.

Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.”