The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, confirmed today (Sunday) that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad can participate in the next Arab summit if he wishes, explaining that Syria’s return to its seat in the League does not mean the end of the crisis, but rather the contribution of Arab countries to the solution.
Aboul Gheit said, during a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, that the restoration of diplomatic relations with Syria is a sovereign decision in each country, explaining that the return of Syria is an Arab decision that cares about the Arab interest and that the solution is not left outside the Arab contribution.
He added: Syria’s return to its seat is an initial Arab step and for the first time it enters an Arab road map, indicating that the effectiveness and speed of the steps taken by Syria will be evaluated.
Aboul Gheit revealed the formation of a Saudi-Egyptian committee to communicate with the parties to the conflict in Sudan, indicating that communication with the Sudanese government will not stop.
He said that the Saudi-American initiative for Jeddah negotiations between the two parties to the conflict in Sudan deserves the support of the League, noting that the seven successive appeals and truces have not succeeded so far in stopping the fighting in Sudan.
For his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry affirmed support for the return of political dialogue in Sudan, announcing his country’s support from the first moment for ways to cease fire in Sudan.
He announced that the League of Arab States decided to establish a liaison committee of member states with the aim of reaching a cease-fire in Sudan and preserving state institutions, indicating that the Egyptian position was based on supporting Sudan and stopping the fighting since the start of the crisis.
Regarding Syria, Shoukry said, “There is great interest in the issue of the proper return of refugees from Lebanon and Jordan.”
