AMMAN - Jordanian Foreign Minister Hani Mulki said preparations were underway for a five-way meeting of Israel's neighbours in Damascus to revive an Arab peace plan, as he started Thursday a one-day visit to Syria. Mulki, in statements to Al Rai and Al Dustour dailies, said the meeting would bring together Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and the Palestinians in a bid to revive the Arab initiative for peace with Israel that was launched at a summit in Lebanon in 2002.He said that he would discuss the meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara during his visit, as well as briefing officials on the outcome of Tuesday's landmark summit in Egypt between Israel and the Palestinians. The five-way meeting would be aimed at "coordinating Arab positions concerning the peace process and the developments surrounding it," Mulki said. He did not indicate when it would be held.
| It's the Arab version of cat herding. |
Mulki's spokesman Rajab Sukayri meanwhile told Petra newspaper that the Syrian and Jordanian foreign ministers will seek to fine-tune the Arab peace initiative which could be submitted to a summit of Arab leaders in Algiers in March. Mulki is also expected to start a two-day visit to Oman on Saturday and travels Monday to Kuwait to prepare for the Arab summit scheduled to take place March 22-23, which he said should "deal seriously" with Iraq and the Palestinian issue.