AL Council decides resuming Syria’s participation

Arab foreign ministers have decided that Syrian delegations would resume attending meetings of the Council of the League Arab, as well as all its affiliated organisations and agencies, as of Sunday.

The decision was made at the end of an extraordinary meeting of the Council of the Arab League at the ministerial level yesterday. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri chaired the meeting.

Addressing the extraordinary meeting’s inaugural session, the Egyptian foreign  minister thanked the Arab countries for their swift response to take part in the meeting for consultation and coordination on developments in Syria, aiming to renew support to Syrians in their efforts to get out of their crisis.

“We are fully convinced that the only way for settlement is a political solution,” Minister Shoukri said. In this connection, he referred to Cairo’s relevant efforts in co-operation with Arab and friendly countries as well as with the UN Syria envoy.

Also yesterday, the Arab foreign ministers decided to form a liaison committee to work on reaching a ceasefire in the Sudan and opening safe corridors for civilians.

Shoukri made the statement to a press conference he held with the Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul-Gheit following three ministerial extraordinary sessions on Syria, Sudan and Palestine.

The committee will include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the AL Secretary-General, he said. What’s going is on in the Sudan,” he added, could affect all neighbouring countries, including Egypt in the foremost.

He also stressed that Egypt’s firm stance focuses on supporting the Sudan and demanding immediate ceasefire to spare civilians’ lives and preserve the Sudanese state.

Egypt, Shoukri said, always welcomes every sincere effort to solve the Sudanese crisis in a manner to preserve Sudan’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and its legitimate institutions.

In the meantime, the Egyptian top diplomat starts today a visit to Chad and South Sudan as part of coordination with the Sudan’s neighbouring countries on the crisis, and its regional and international implications, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said.

During the visits to N’Djamena and Juba, Shoukri will deliver message from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to Presidents Mahamat Déby, and Salva Kiir, Spokesman Abu Zeid said.