Global Arab Network | Arab League: With Obama, a new opportunity for peace in the Middle East

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Arab League: With Obama, a new opportunity for peace in the Middle East

Global Arab Network - - Hannan Taha

Wednesday, 14 October 2009 16:39

The League of Arab States (LAS) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding, through which the two organizations will engage in a structured cooperation on matters of mutual interest. LAS and PAM have also exchanged Observer Status to their respective Assemblies. The Memorandum was signed at PAM Headquarters in Malta by the Secretary General of LAS, H.E. Amr Moussa, and the Secretary General of PAM, Dr. Sergio Piazzi.

“We intend to have an active working relationship with PAM and build together the necessary bridges in order to achieve peace in the region,” Amr Moussa said in a comment on the signing of the Memorandum.

Immediately following, Dr. Piazzi and Moussa had a bilateral meeting, during which attention was focused on the major issues concerning the Mediterranean region, and in particular, the Middle East. Dr. Piazzi, in his opening comments, welcomed Dr. Moussa on behalf of the PAM President and Bureau, and stressed the fact that the League of Arab States is considered by the Assembly to be an important partner in promoting security, peace and prosperity.

Dr. Piazzi also briefed the Secretary General and his delegation on the recent mission by the PAM Bureau to the United States, where meetings were held with top UN officials and high-ranking members of the US Senate, Congress and Administration. The PAM Secretary General particularly referred to the discussions held with regards to the reinvigoration of the Middle East Peace Process.

Amr Moussa stated that, “at the moment we have a wonderful opportunity with the new American President, Barack Obama, and the position of the League of Arab States is to fully support his efforts towards an equitable solution in the Middle East.” Dr. Moussa supported Dr.

Piazzi’s belief that it is necessary to clear the atmosphere in order to proceed with the negotiations from the point they have now reached.

Key factors in the Peace Process, according to the LAS Secretary General, are a clear timeframe for the negotiations, that a monitoring structure be established, that Jerusalem is part of the discussions, and that settlements must stop, if talks are to continue.

Finally, Dr. Moussa stated that the process needs the efforts and coordination of the Americans, Europeans as well as the PAM Member States to support every single contribution to solve the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Dr. Piazzi concluded the meeting by inviting the League of Arab States to support and promote the joint UN-PAM Conference on the Middle East Peace Process, which will be held in Malta in February 2010.

PAM and LAS had initiated the process of cooperation earlier in the year when Dr. Piazzi was received by Secretary General Amr Moussa in Egypt during the regular meetings of the PAM Special Task Forces.

The signing of the MOU with LAS and other organizations is in line with PAM’s outreach project to intensify its participation and cooperation at the regional and global level, and it is currently fully-engaged in the process to obtain Observer Status at the United Nations General Assembly.

Amr Moussa is currently in Malta on the occasion of the inauguration of the joint EU-Arab Liaison Office within the Union for the Mediterranean.

Global Arab Network

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