Aoun urges Saudi Arabia to restore Arab unity, dialogue

President Michel Aoun  led Lebanon’s delegation to the 29th Arab League Summit in the eastern Saudi city of Dhahran, where he also held separate talks with Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz and other Arab leaders, NNA   reported on Sunday

Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil attended Aoun’s meeting with King Salman

“The cause of Palestine has the priority at the heart of the developments and it is the basis of instability in the Middle East,” Aoun said, in  his speech at the Arab summit.

The President went on to caution that Jerusalem is about to be officially lost, contrary to all laws and Security Council resolutions. Hence, he questioned, “Will we allow Jerusalem to be lost?”

“The Arab peace initiative that emerged from the summit meeting in Beirut is still the only reference that enjoys the Arab brethrens unanimous consent…a consensus that can be built upon to resume efforts that lead to a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian cause,” Aoun underscored.

He warned that “the Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty are continuing without deterrence, in addition to the violation of Resolution 1701 and the use of Lebanon’s airspace to bomb Syria, not to mention Israel’s continued threats to ignite war.”

Addressing Saudi Arabia, Aoun added: “Today we are on the kingdom’s soil and who else can unite the (Arab) family other than its biggest nation?”

“Would a pioneering practical initiative, leading to the reunification of the land and choosing dialogue as a way to solve problems, be launched from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?”  Aoun asked.

He recalled that the Lebanese experience has proved that dialogue is the only solution to disputes, an experience that must be a model to be followed by Arab countries stricken by internal conflicts.

Addressing the issue of  Syrian refugees  the President noted that Lebanon endured the largest waves of Syrian exodus to its territories by virtue of geography and neighborhood, exceeding its capacity for absorption and treatment.

The President finally stressed that “this problem concerns all of us at the league , and should not be borne only by Syria’s neighbors.”