|
Gadhafi storms out of Arab summit
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-05-23 10:22
Arab leaders convened their annual summit Saturday to discuss condemning
terrorism, reiterating calls for Arab-Israeli peace and putting Arab nations on
the road to political and economic reforms advocated by the United States.
Western relations
with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi have been improving in recent months.
[AP Photo] |
But the opening session was overshadowed by the walkout of Libyan leader
Moammar Gadhafi, who criticized peace efforts and threatened to pull his country
out of the 22-member Arab League.
"What's the significance of this Arab gathering?" Gadhafi said before packing
up and leaving Tunis. "How can this summit convene while there are two Arab
presidents in jail? I am disgusted."
Gadhafi was referring to Saddam Hussein and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat,
who has been holed up in his West Bank headquarters for more than two years,
besieged by Israeli forces.
Gadhafi left while Arab League head Amr Moussa was speaking. Diplomats said
the Libyan leader apparently was irked by Moussa's criticism of Arabs who act
unilaterally -- a veiled reference to Libya's decision to renounce programs
pursuing weapons of mass destruction.
Gadhafi also skipped Saturday's closed-door session, where Arab leaders
reviewed resolutions addressing the turmoil in their region.
One of the strongest proposals denounced the abuse inflicted on Iraqi
prisoners by U.S. forces at the Abu Ghraib prison as "crimes and inhuman and
immoral acts." It said the abuse constituted a "flagrant violation of human
rights and international conventions" and demanded trials and punishment for
those responsible.
Reports of degrading treatment, sexual abuse and torture have caused
widespread outrage in the Arab world and damaged American credibility throughout
the region.
Reform ambitions and accusations of U.S. meddling
The leaders' commitment
to political, economic and social reforms is a response to a Bush administration
plan for Mideast reform that has been criticized as brazen interference in
internal Arab affairs.
Washington's Greater Middle East Initiative, which will be unveiled at the
G-8 summit of major industrial countries next month in the United States, urges
Arab states to promote democracy, human rights and economic liberalization.
While the plan has sparked Arab complaints of American meddling, it also has
inspired them to draw up their own brand of reform.
The Arab reform proposal is short on specifics but pledges to respect human
rights and freedom of expression, enhance the position of women in society and
promote tolerance, according to a preliminary copy obtained by The Associated
Press.
The proposal binds the greater participation to laws already in place,
including Islamic law in some countries -- an indication it likely will not
require any nation to overhaul its system.
Strong opposition to calls for reform from Arab governments -- which are
mostly autocratic and long have been criticized for giving their 270 million
people with little or no voice -- was cited as a reason for Tunisia's decision
to postpone the March 29-30 Arab League summit 48 hours before it was scheduled
to begin.
Jordan's King Abdullah II left after Saturday's closed session. His
delegation issued a statement calling for a "permanent and comprehensive truce"
between Israel and the Palestinians and a halt to attacks against civilians on
both sides.
Silence for Palestinian dead
Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
opened the two-day summit by asking delegates to stand in a moment of silence
for the Palestinian victims of Israeli actions.
He condemned the assassination of Palestinian political leaders and the
killing of civilians, and called for more international efforts to reactivate
the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan that envisages a Palestinian state by next
year. He also called for international protection of the Palestinian people and
a halt to Israeli "violations."
Arafat, who did not attend for fear Israel would bar him from returning,
addressed the conference for the third year via video from Ramallah. He accused
Israel of waging a "war of annihilation" against the Palestinian people but
reiterated that the Palestinians were committed to "the peace of the brave" with
Israel.
"I declare from the heart of the (Israeli) siege that occupation and military
solutions will not bring peace, security and stability for the Israelis," he
said.
Hamas, the Damascus-based Palestinian militant group responsible for scores
of suicide attacks against Israelis, called on the Arab League to sever all
contacts with the Jewish state.
In a faxed statement, Hamas also urged Arab leaders to declare that the peace
process "has flagrantly failed despite the Arabs' sincerity and their continuing
efforts on behalf of peace."
It said Arabs also should stand by Iraqis "in their right to get rid of
American occupation and to self-determination."
Meanwhile, demonstrators at the league's Cairo headquarters urged Arab
leaders to help the Palestinians and Iraqis or step down. The demonstration
dispersed peacefully.
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
Today's
Top News |
|
|
|
Top World
News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
