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. -News for Wed 27 March and 28 March 2002


Arab Leaders Adopt Saudi Peace Initiative

VOA News
28 Mar 2002 13:43 UTC
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The Arab League summit in Beirut has unanimously endorsed a Saudi plan for peace in the Middle East. Arab leaders capped their two-day meeting Thursday by approving the plan, which calls for normal relations between the Arab world and Israel in exchange for Israel's withdrawal from territories occupied since the 1967 Mideast War.
 
 

AP Photo
AP
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Abdullah, center, is flanked by members of his delegation 
The plan, presented by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, also calls for the recognition of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and for the return of Palestinian refugees.

 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who is not attending the summit, has praised the Saudi proposal. Israeli officials have criticized the plan as too vague.

 Thursday's closing session was delayed for more than two hours, as delegates haggled over the wording of a draft resolution that would incorporate the Saudi plan.

 The summit has been marred by the absence of several Arab leaders and a walkout by the Palestinian delegation when Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's speech was not broadcast live at the meeting as scheduled on Wednesday.
 
 

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