Minister Dlamini Zuma on the Outcome of the 14th Arab League Summit Held in Beirut

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma expresses her congratulations to the government of the Republic of Lebanon for the excellent manner in which it has organised and hosted the fourteenth Arab League Summit, which took place in Beirut from 27 to 28 March 2002.

Minister Dlamini Zuma would also like to express her congratulations to the secretariat of the League of Arab States for the successful manner in which it co-ordinated the Summit.

Minister Dlamini Zuma, who attended the Summit on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, applauded the great success of the Summit and expressed support for its conclusion, in particular for the Arab Peace Plan proposed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and adopted unanimously by the Summit. The Minister said this reflected a clear desire for peace on behalf of the Arab world and expressed the hope that the government of Israel would react positively to the unprecedented steps that the Arab world has taken in reaching out to Israel.

In this context the Minister regretted that the Israeli government has prevented President Arafat from attending the Summit and said that the impact of this important step towards a comprehensive, just and lasting solution of the Israeli-Arab conflict would have been so much greater if the legitimate elected leader of the Palestinian people took part in the adoption of the peace plan. However, the Non-Aligned Movement noted the wholehearted support expressed by President Arafat for this initiative. Minister Dlamini Zuma also conveyed her gratitude to the government of Lebanon for the warm welcome and hospitality that she enjoyed in Beirut.

For more information please contact Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853.

Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

29 March 2002