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Riyadh: The 19th Arab summit concluded yesterday after revival of the five-year-old peace initiative with Israel.
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal and Arab League Secretary General Amr Mousa said Arabs will have to 'assess' the situation if Israel keeps rejecting the offer.
"The deliberations [during the summit] were characterised by frankness, objectivity, reality and transparency," said Al Faisal.
The Palestinian question topped the agenda of the two-day summit and the Arab leaders reiterated that peace is their "strategic option", he said.
In their final statement called Riyadh Declaration, they have "affirmed the option of just and comprehensive peace as a strategic option for the Arab nation; in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative that lays out the right path for reaching a peaceful settlement for the Arab-Israeli conflict".
The peace offer, which was initiated by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by Arab leaders in 2002 in Beirut calls for full normalisation with Israel, if Israel withdraws from all Arab lands occupied in 1967 war and allows the establishment of a Palestinian independent state. The offer also calls to solve the Palestinian refugees' problem according to the UN resolution.
Israel rejected the offer and reiterated its refusal yesterday.
"It comes as no surprise to us [the Israeli reaction]. This is the Israeli way when Arabs issue clear and transparent decisions towards peace, they [Israelis] categorically reject them," said Al Faisal during a joint press conference with Mousa.
"We can't come up with a new initiative if Israel rejects the previous one. This is out of question," he added.
Endangering region
"Don't they realise [Israelis] that with their continuous rejection of the peace offers... they just don't subject the whole region to danger but Israel as well?" Al Faisal asked.
Mousa also criticised the Israeli reaction and said "Israel wants only normalisation. They don't want to solve the other issues. There is nothing for free, and there should be nothing for free."
"Enough time" will be given to Israel and the US, the key-sponsor of the peace process in the Middle East, before Arabs "assess the situation" as well as their positions after their reiteration of the peace offer produced nothing, Mousa said.
He called for ending the 'unjustified' financial embargo on the Palestinians imposed by Israel and US.
Other issues in the Arab region, including the situation in Iraq, political crisis in Lebanon, civil war in Somalia, and Sudanese-UN crisis over Darfur were also the focus of talks on the sidelines among leaders and prominent world diplomats, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Asked why these issues did not feature in the declaration, Al Faisal said, "The declaration can't include all discussed issues. This is not a statement," he said. "It is an announcement that reflects the vision of the countries vis-a-vis certain issues that need to be focused on."
These issues included education, Arab identity, values and Arab culture.
Responding to a question on crisis over Iranian nuclear programme, Al Faisal said any war in the Gulf region will have great impact on the region and the region's countries "will choose to do what they can with all their capabilities to protect their security and their citizens' security, or they will be negligent."
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