The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted King Abdullah as telling the first meeting of the new Cabinet in Riyadh on Monday that Saudi Arabia was making intensive efforts to unify Arab ranks and mobilise support for Arab causes.
He praised the efforts of Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa for the achievement of reconciliation among Arab leaders. “The King also appreciated Arab foreign ministers for their efforts to translate his unity initiative into a reality,” said Abdul Aziz Khoja, the newly appointed minister of culture and information. King Abdullah said: “We have to make more efforts in this direction.”
King Abdullah initiated reconciliation among Arab leaders by holding talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad on the sidelines of the Arab economic summit in Kuwait last month.
During the summit, King Abdullah called upon Arab leaders to end their differences and open a new era of unity and solidarity.
“Allow me to announce in all our names that we have overcome the period of disunity, opening the door of Arab brotherhood and that of unity for all Arabs without exception or reservation, and that we will face the future with total unity and without any discord,” the King told the summit in his keynote speech.
Briefing the ministers on the content of messages he had sent to President Bashar, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, King Abdullah said the recent contacts with Arab leaders were aimed at not only strengthening Arab unity but also the success of Arab causes, most importantly the Palestinian cause. He stressed the need to reconcile Palestinian factions.
