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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 26 Oct. - 1 Nov. 2000 Issue No. 505 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 26 Oct. - 1 Nov. 2000 Issue No. 505
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Palestine International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Youthful rapport
THE YOUNG kings of Morocco and Jordan, plus the youthful new president of Syria, dined out together on the eve of the summit, their first encounter since succeeding their fathers and the first Arab summit they attend."The dinner was cordial and informal," a Jordanian official was quoted as saying.
While discussing preparations for the summit, King Abdullah II of Jordan, 38, Morocco's Mohamed VI, 37, and Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, 34, appeared to be developing a close rapport. "It was a meeting of friends, of leaders of the same generation exchanging ideas on the eve of a summit which is being held at a crucial time in the Arab world," the source added.
Not even a nod
DEFYING rules of protocol, the delegations sent from Kuwait and Iraq appeared unwilling to compromise earlier refusals to acknowledge each other -- neither the customary handshake, nor a simple nod of the head was exchanged.It was the first encounter between the two delegations in 10 years. Kuwait rejects any direct dealings with an Iraq ruled by President Saddam Hussein, whose troops occupied the oil-rich state for seven months.
It was a condition that was set prior to the arrival of the Kuwaiti delegation that nothing outside the issue of Al-Aqsa be discussed during the summit.
Kuwait was quick to accept an invitation by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. In the past, the OPEC member was accused of blocking such meetings on the basis of its refusal to deal with Iraq.
"Let us hope the focus of this meeting will be the Palestinian problem and Holy Jerusalem," said Kuwait's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Suleiman Al-Shahin before heading to Cairo for the summit.
Iraq was not invited to the last Arab summit in Cairo in 1996, mainly due to the objections of a number of Gulf Arab states.
The Arab world was sharply divided after the 1990 summit, with some states backing and participating in the Gulf war, and others opposing foreign intervention.
However, some of Kuwait's key Arab allies like Syria and Egypt have recently called for the lifting of the UN sanctions imposed on Iraq since the invasion. In their speeches, Jordan and Yemen also called for the lifting of the sanctions. But such calls seem to be falling on deaf ears, especially in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Opening a new page
AFTER A 10-year row, Kuwait and the Palestinians appear to be heading toward a rapprochement. Pictures of a warm embrace, the second in five months between Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat made the front pages of five of Kuwaiti newspapers.In May, Arafat and Al-Sabah shook hands twice for the first time during Yemen's unity celebration. Although it was later described as a "protocol gesture" and not a sign of improved ties, the two sides appear now to be heading towards reconciliation.
Kuwait "strongly condemns these brutal and aggressive Israeli practices, and affirms that we are required to adopt [measures] that provide protection to the brotherly Palestinian people."
In fact, Kuwaitis have held several rallies in the past three weeks in protest to Israel's killing of more than 130 Palestinians in their uprising.
Kuwait regarded Arafat as Baghdad's strongest sympathiser after the Iraqi invasion of August 1990 and has demanded that he offer a public apology for his stance. Before leaving for the summit, Al-Sabah declared "There are no differences between us and the Palestinian Authority. There were some disputes in the past, which did not mean a dispute between the government of Kuwait and the Palestinian people."
Related stories:
Intifada in focus
States of emergency
Producing the body (count)
Tempered anger at the summit
Composing the consensus
The electronic Intifada
Horror in your sitting room
Variations on a theme
The big freeze
Solidarity days
'A valid fear'
Meet the press
The earth speaks Arabic
Also see Focus on Intifada 19 - 25 October 2000© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
