Arab Foreign Ministers Begin Their Preparatory Meeting in Kuwait

Kuwait, March 23 (QNA) -The Arab Foreign Ministers' preparatory meeting began in Kuwait on Sunday ahead of the 25th session of the Arab summit to be held under title( The summit of solidarity for a better future). Qatar's foreign minister HE Dr. Khalid Bin Mohamed Al Attiyah leads his country's delegation to the meeting. Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah chairing the current meeting, in a his keynote address before the public session, conveyed deep thanks and appreciation to the state of qatar , the chairman of the previous rotating presidency , the 24th summit session , for the tireless efforts it exerted during that session for pushing ahead the joint arab action and following up the resolutions of the last session. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled called on the Syrian regime to stop its aggression against civilians and its random use of weapons in populated areas, while urging the international community to immediately act to stop Israel's hostile policies against the Palestinians. Addressing the preparatory meeting, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled hoped the Arab summit, held in Kuwait for the first time since the country joined the Arab League in 1961, succeed in boosting inter-Arab economic development. He said the Syria regime must stop its assaults on civilians and airiel bombardment of populated areas, and lift the siege on civilians nationwide to allow entry of humanitarian aid and called on the Syrian regime to comply with UN resolution 2139 regarding the humanitarian situation in the country, as well as the importance of punishing all officials responsible for committing crimes, violating international humanitarian law and international law on human rights. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled noted that the Syrian conflict, which entered its fourth year, was still claiming more innocent people. "The killing and destruction machine is shattering the structure of the Syrian people and state in the most vicious manner, and is not being deterred by a religion, law or humanitarian principles nor a united international position," he said. The Syrian conflict has so far killed more than 140,000 and displaced six million people internally, while more than 2.5 million sought refuge in neighboring countries: Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. This is in addition to thousands of detainees and missing persons. "The international community is facing a moral, humanitarian and legal responsibility to double the efforts to stop this catastrophe, which is the biggest in modern human history," said Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, regretting meantime the collapse of Geneva II negotiations between the Syrian regime and opposition. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled appreciated UN-Arab League Special Representative to Syrian Lakhdar Brahimi's endeavors, and urged him to continue his efforts. "We reiterate that the crisis in Syria should not be solved militarily. The political solution and table of negotiations are the only way for a comprehensive settlement to end this bloody conflict," the Kuwaiti FM added. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said Kuwait has exerted political and humanitarian efforts in a bid to stop the crisis and alleviate suffering of the Syrian people. Responding to the humanitarian appeals made by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to provide humanitarian support to the syrian people, Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled said Kuwait hosted two donors' conference for the Syrian people in 2013 and this year, during which donors pledged almost USD four billion to supply relief supplies for the Syrian people inside their country or in neighboring states. Meanwhile, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council (UNSC), and the international diplomatic Quartet, to "act urgently" stop the Israeli "vicious" attacks against the Palestinians in Gaza Strip and lift the siege on the enclave. The international community must also act against the Israeli systematic violations of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the plans to change the demographic status of occupied Jerusalem. Israel, the occupying force, should respect UN resolutions relevant to the peace process, the international law and the 1949 Geneva Convention, as well as ceasing aggression on occupied Palestinian territories including East Jerusalem, said the Kuwaiti senior official. He said the UN General Assembly's initiative to consider 2014 the year of international solidarity with the Palestinian people, which Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled hoped would enable the Palestinian people to regain their rights, achieve just and permanent settlement of the Palestinian state on the June 4 1967 borders. Turning to Arab affairs, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said developing the reforming the common Arab action became a necessity. He said the Arab Economic, Development and Social summits contributed to boosting inter-Arab economic and development integration. It is noted that Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah launched, in the first economic summit in Kuwait in 2009, a USD two billion fund to support small and medium-sized enterprises. Kuwait contributed USD 500 million. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled called on all Arab countries to join hands to address political and security instability. (END)