President Tebboune: “Arab Division Is Not Inevitable”
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that “the Arab division is not inevitable,” stressing that “the delicate circumstances that our Arab nation is going through and the political, security, economic and health challenges it faces, dictate strengthening the practice of consultation and coordination”.
In a letter to his Lebanese counterpart, Michel Aoun, conveyed by Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, President Tebboune stressed, “There is no doubt that the delicate circumstances that our Arab nation is going through and the political, security, economic and health challenges it faces, dictate that we bolster the year of consultation and coordination, especially since the lingering Corona virus pandemic has prevented us from holding our regular meetings on a regular basis, and I am sure that you share my opinion that this situation, despite its difficulty, is not an inevitable fate “.
President Tebboune, in his message conveyed to the Lebanese presidency, referred to the Arab summit that will take place later this year, whereby he said, “Algeria, which will be honored to host the next Arab summit, is seeking to intensify its efforts in order to provide the conditions for the success of this important event, and to win the bet of advancing Arab action”.
“The joint service, he added, serves the causes of our nation, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause, and to achieve the aspirations of our peoples who yearn for unity in the framework of stability, cooperation and solidarity in a manner that guarantees a decent position for our nation on the global stage”.
In the letter, President Tebboune drew attention to Lebanon’s role in the success of the planned summit, saying, “For the success of this endeavor, we rely greatly on your fraternal support, given your rich experiences and your special position in the Arab world as a result of your customary personal care and constructive stances, and also in view of the responsibilities that your brotherly country will assume at the level of bodies League of Arab States”.
On the date of the Arab summit, Lamamra said, “Algeria has a proposal based on what the President of the Republic decided on the basis of good financial and political preparation, through the visits he personally undertakes to sister Arab countries, and at the same time through this visit that falls within the same framework notably the visits that I pay to Arab countries carrying written messages from the President of the Republic,” he explained, “As for setting the date, that will be under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Abdullah Bouhabib upon assuming the presidency of the Ministerial Council of the League of Arab States”.
In response to a question regarding the Kuwaiti initiative related to the Lebanese-Gulf dialogue, and whether there will be a “zero” of problems between the Arab countries for the success of the Algeria summit, Mr. Lamamra replied, “I visited Lebanon recently, and President Abdelmadjid Tebboune paid an official visit to brotherly Kuwait, and we listened to what you prefer. Our brothers in Kuwait have explained about this blessed initiative, which we support and wish for success. We believe that the Lebanese political arena takes this initiative seriously, and we are optimistic in this regard.
With regard to Syria’s participation in the Arab summit, Lamamra was satisfied, saying: “Part of the consultations revolve around this issue.”
For his part, Lebanese President Michel Aoun praised the Lebanese-Algerian relations, describing them as “deep and solid brotherly relations”, and expressed his hope that Algeria would succeed in organizing the Arab Summit, stressing that Lebanon would be at the forefront of the countries that would participate in it as soon as the date was set.
