The preparatory meetings of Arab foreign ministers for the 31st session of the Arab Summit, scheduled to be held on the first and second of November in Algeria, began in Algiers on Saturday.
According to the official Algerian news agency, the meeting of Arab foreign ministers held at the International Conference Center Abdellatif Rahhal will last for two days, to adopt the draft agenda and consider and approve draft resolutions, while a consultative session will be held on the second day.
With the start of the first session of the meetings, Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra took over the presidency of the session from his Tunisian counterpart Othman Al-Jarandi, whose country chaired the Arab Summit in its 30th session.
In his speech at the opening of the meetings, Al-Jarundi praised the tireless efforts made by Algeria to prepare for the Arab Summit in its 31st session and to create all conditions for the success of this important event.
He added, "We meet today, and the eyes of the Arab and international world are directed to this summit and the approaches it will present to get out of the crises that have become chronic, and to determine the position of the Arab countries from the emerging global transformations and the role of our organization in the emerging alliances in a new world that is about to form from what preceded it, posing new challenges."
In turn, Lamamra said in a speech that the Arab region has turned into a battleground between a number of foreign powers, which, according to him, are going through their most difficult stages due to political stagnation, calling for the assistance of a number of countries that suffer from circumstantial economic, political or security difficulties, with Non-interference in the internal affairs of states and respect for their sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
He stressed that "the developments that our world is witnessing should not make us forget the Palestinian cause, which is going through its most difficult stages today, amid the persistence of the occupier in imposing a fait accompli."
"We count on everyone at the Algeria summit to start a new approach to joint Arab action, and we hope that our meetings will be crowned with success," he added.
He stressed the need to "redouble efforts to advance the paths of peace and reconciliation, which should really start from the Arab house."
For his part, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said in a speech that the summit looks forward to a realistic translation of the Algiers Agreement (for Palestinian reconciliation) and the commitment of the Palestinian parties to its provisions.
On October 13, the Palestinian factions signed the Algeria Declaration of Reconciliation Document, at the conclusion of the reunification conference in order to achieve Palestinian national unity.
Aboul Gheit added that "the reality of crises must occupy an important place on the agenda of the summit, and that the food crisis represents an important priority and we hope to launch a strategy to achieve food security."