Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri says the recent 19th summit of the Arab League in Riyadh has helped in further promoting President General Pervez Musharraf's new initiative to resolve Palestine issue to ensure peace and security in the region. Musharraf, who was invited as special guest by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, was the first ever non-Arab leader who addressed the summit to highlight his fresh and new initiative on the Palestine issue, the foreign minister told the reporters. He said besides the members of the Arab League, the summit was attended by the leaders of four non-Arab countries including Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey whose foreign ministers attended special meeting of foreign ministers held in Islamabad recently. Kasuri said the summit was very important and Musharraf's proposals and suggestions were considered and discussed seriously in the meeting. He said Musharraf, in his address at the Arab League summit, called for collective and comprehensive efforts in tandem with the international community for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along Israel. The foreign minister said the President also met with many leaders on the sidelines of the summit, including Prime Minister of Turkey, Prime Minister of Lebanon, King of Jordan and also foreign minister of Iran and held discussions on regional and international issues including the Middle East situation. Kasuri said while launching his new initiative, Musharraf had visited different countries including Syria and Iran and taken their leaders into confidence on his ideas. He said Musharraf, who has been discussing a new initiative with several Muslim countries to help peace efforts in the Middle East by seeking reduction of tensions and working for harmony in the Islamic world, termed the initiative as supportive of other endeavours . He said Pakistan's participation in the Arab League summit clearly indicated that we believe that the issues of the Arab World deeply impact on the entire Muslim Ummah, especially non-Arab countries and our collective effort will prove to be more effective in addressing them. Kasuri said Musharraf told the Muslim leaders to discuss measures to revive the Middle East peace efforts. He said issues concerning Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon and Iran remained under focus during the summit. The foreign minister said if Islam is under attack through trends like Islamophobia, then it is a concern for every Arab and non-Arab Muslim country and it should therefore be tackled collectively. Kasuri said Pakistan is deeply appreciative of the role of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. He said Pakistan has been taking keen interest to strengthen the OIC Secretariat and said the organization would be further strengthened. The foreign minister said Pakistan is hosting OIC foreign ministers conference in mid-May, which will also take stock of the situation and follow up the developments. He said Pakistan being an important member of the Muslim community in the world told the members of the Arab League that in the present situation, We cannot remain hapless spectators mired in these and other conflicts and crises afflicting the Islamic world.
