Arab summit expected to avoid major issues

A slimmed-down summit of Arab leaders was opening in Algeria today with a thin agenda that sidestepped some glaring Middle East issues.

Some had predicted the summit would be “historic” in dealing with changes including huge demonstrations in Lebanon and a Syrian military pullback there, new optimism in the Israel-Palestinian peace process and increasing pressure for democratic change.

But in the end, it will not be so daring.

Arab League leaders are largely avoiding the issues of Lebanon and democratic reform, and they rejected Jordan’s proposal for a new peace strategy that would offer Israel normal relations and drop the traditional demand that it first return occupied Arab lands.

Instead, they are likely to pay lip service to Syria’s concerns about US pressure and consider reform of the Arab League itself.

Only 13 of the 22 leaders turned up for the gathering. Others were staying away for health reasons or because of personal disputes.

During preparatory talks, Jordanian Foreign Minister Hani al-Mulqi complained about the failure of Arab nations to adapt with changing times, delegates said.

Al-Mulqi tried in vain to persuade fellow ministers to accept his country’s peace proposal, arguing that doing so amounted not to making concessions to Israel but to “reality,” the delegates said.

Syria, Lebanon, Sudan and Yemen led the fight to reject the Jordanian proposal.

Instead, the summit will endorse a text reaffirming a Saudi peace initiative approved in 2002.

That initiative said Arab states were prepared to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel in exchange for its full withdrawal from occupied Arab territory, the creation of a Palestinian state and settlement of the Palestinian refugee issue.

The Algiers summit “will not be the summit of normalisation”, said Algerian foreign minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem.

Jordan’s King Abdullah is staying away , apparently angered by the dismissal of his proposal. His government had argued a new stance would encourage Israel to make concessions in the peace process.