Summit preparatory meetings to kick off Thursday

AMMAN — The Arab summit preparatory meetings are due to start Thursday, as the summit's media centre was opened at the Grand East Hotel on the Dead Sea shore. 

Minister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani inaugurated the facility on Wednesday.

The official has previously stated that more than 1,400 journalists have applied for accreditation to cover the high-profile gathering.

He explained that the highlight of the preparatory meetings is the one scheduled for March 27, as it will pave the road for the Arab leaders' meeting on March 29, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

During the past four months, three preparatory committees — the political, protocol and media committees —  worked on the summit’s preparations, Momani noted.

The Palestinian cause is expected to score high on the summit’s agenda, as the lack of a just comprehensive solution “reflects a lack of justice for the Palestinians”, Momani said, adding that Arab states share a stand calling for a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state formula.

Regarding the Syrian crisis, Momani highlighted the Arab world’s collective position, urging an end to the Syrian people’s suffering, while reminding that the Arab League had suspended Syria’s membership after the crisis started there in 2011. 

He further noted the pan-Arab agreement to support Iraqis in their fight against security challenges, terrorism and extremism, supporting a drive for national reconciliation.

Jordan looks forward to making the Amman Arab summit a milestone in pan-Arab collaboration to address national security challenges and to provide a platform for Arab leaders to express their support for common causes. 

After every preparatory meeting, there will be a media brief presented by Ambassador Rima Alaa Aldin from the Foreign Ministry, outlining the most important deliberations during the meeting in question, the spokesperson said, adding that at the end of the meetings an “Amman Statement” will be published as the summit’s communiqué.