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Palestinians Stage Protest Walkout at Arab Summit

VOA News
27 Mar 2002 14:54 UTC
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<b>Saeb Erekat, member of Palestinian delegation at Arab summit</b>
Saeb Erekat, member of Palestinian delegation at Arab summit
Palestinian delegates have walked out of the Arab summit in Beirut, in an apparent protest to a move by Lebanon to block a televised speech by Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat.

 Leader Arafat, who remains confined by Israel to the West Bank, was to have addressed the summit by satellite television from his headquarters in Ramallah. But shortly before the scheduled broadcast, Lebanon blocked the satellite linkup. There has been no official explanation for the Lebanese move.
 
 

AP Photo
AP
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Abdullah, center, is flanked by members of his delegation 
Earlier, Saudi Arabia formally presented its Mideast peace plan to summit delegates. The plan - backed by the United States and the European Union -calls for "normal relations" with the Jewish state in exchange for Israel's full withdrawal from occupied territories. It also calls for the right of return for Palestinian refugees.

 Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah urged summit participants to present his proposal to the U.N. Security Council as a "clear and unanimous" Arab initiative for peace in the region.

 The two-day Arab League summit got under way in Beirut Wednesday, without a number of key Arab leaders, including Leader Arafat, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and Jordan's King Abdullah.

 President Mubarak said he decided not to attend the summit to express solidarity with Mr. Arafat. He said Israeli threats to bar the Palestinian leader from returning to the West Bank - if he attended the summit - had humiliated Mr. Arafat.

 Jordan' King Abdullah made a last-minute decision not to attend the summit. No reason has been reported. 

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. 

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