The Arab League Summit has begun in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. The President of Libya’s National Transitional Council Mustafa Abdel Jalil delivered the opening speech of the summit on behalf of Libya as the 22nd term-president of the Arab League.
Abdel Jalil said Libya wanted to set up good relations with the Arab countries and supported the fight against terrorism.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani who took over the term-presidency of the Arab League on behalf of his country, said in his speech, that the Baghdad summit put on Iraq a lot of responsibility in the face of the developments the region was experiencing.
He said Iraq supported the efforts made by Palestinians to set up their own independent state ,and touching on Syria, expressed respect for the Syrian people’s right to self-determination and pointed out that Iraq condemned all kinds of terrorism and supported the fight maintained against terrorism.
The chapters to be taken up at the summit are Palestine, the Arab peace initiative, Jerusalem and supporting the people of Jerusalem, the Israeli embargo of Gaza, the material assistance to be extended to Palestinians and condemnation of Jewish settlements.
Also to be discussed at the Arab League summit in Baghdad will be the incidents in Syria, the Annan peace plan, support for the UN Security Council resolutions regarding Syria, solidarity with Lebanon against some external threats jeopardizing its security, support for the Yemenite government, fighting terrorism and clearing the Middle East of mass destruction weapons.