ALGIERS - Arab leaders were to hold the final day of talks Wednesday at a summit which saw them adopt a resolution to reactivate a Middle East peace initiative, a proposal that was swiftly rejected by Israel.
The meeting in the Algerian capital has also raised questions about the absence of several key players and the failure of leaders to tackle some of the most controversial issues facing their troubled region.
Only 13 heads of states from the 22-member Arab League showed up for the two day summit, which opened Tuesday with plans to reactivate a three-year-old land-for-peace initiative to normalise ties with Israel.
Key players such as Jordan's King Abdullah II and Saudi de facto ruler, Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz, failed to show up.
A final declaration due to be issued at the end of the summit echoes the one released at last year's Tunis conference, pledging Arab support for Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinians' efforts to recover land occupied by Israel.
It also calls on the international community to help back the Arab peace initiative -- a Jordanian proposal based on a Saudi plan submitted and endorsed by the 2002 Beirut summit which Israel had spurned at the time.
Israel was quick to reject the offer anew.
A senior official from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office told AFP the Arabs were trying "to give this illusion of unity on the surface by adopting resolutions that contradict with all of the advances made, particularly by Egypt and Jordan, which is unacceptable".
"The summit proved it is out of touch with reality and in a delicate situation regarding developments in the Arab world," the official added on, condition of anonymity.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Hani Mulki expressed regret over the remarks and told AFP that Israel's "quick and negative" reaction looks as if "they are not interested in peace, and we hope this is not the case".
The summit's final declaration to be released later Wednesday makes peace with Israel conditional on the creation of an independent Palestinian state and the return of refugees.
"Based on the Arab peace initiative, Arab countries will therefore consider the Arab-Israeli conflict over and will set up normal ties with Israel within the framework of a comprehensive peace," said a copy obtained by AFP.
It reaffirms "respect for Iraq's unity, sovereignty and independence and non-interference in its domestic affairs" and welcomes its political transition following the historic legislative elections held in January.
It also voiced support for Sudan and concern over the civil war in the western region of Darfur, calling for emergency humanitarian aid but failing to make any specific commitment.
It likewise condemned "terrorism in all its forms and regardless of its motives and justifications" and said it should not be linked to Islam.
The leaders also voiced support with Lebanon and Syria without mentioning a UN Security Council resolution demanding a full Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon and the disarming of militant groups such as Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah.
Concretely they agreed to set up an pan-Arab parliament and "a follow-up body for resolutions, changing of voting methods, decision-making" within the Arab League.
They also exhorted members of the cash-strapped pan-Arab organisation to pay up their dues and arreas but took no measures to sanction those who fail to do so.
The leaders -- who will meet in Khartoum next year -- promised to pursue a a plan for reform announced last year but did not emphasize what they will do despite incessant appeals from the West to see more democracy in the region.
03/23/2005 10:21 GMT