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Eighth Arab Summit: Statement

Eighth Arab Summit

Resolutions

Cairo, 25-26 October 1976

 

Six-Party Arab Summit

Communiqué

(Excerpts)

Riyadh, 18 October 1976

. .. [The conferees have convened] to dis­cuss the crisis in Lebanon and to study the means for its solution, to agree upon the steps necessary to stop the bloodshed in Lebanon, to have recourse to dialogue rather than to violence, to safeguard Leba­non's security, safety, independence and sovereignty and to protect the Palestinian resistance represented by the Palestine Lib­eration Organization.

Proceeding from the commitment to national and historical responsibility which required the strengthen­ing of the collective Arab role in a manner that would put an end to the present situa­tion in Lebanon and prevent it from explod­ing again in future;

Proceeding also from concern to transcend the negative legacy of the past and the need to move into the future in a spirit of concord, peace, recon­struction and of the need to provide the guarantees necessary to restore normal life to Lebanon, protect its political, economic and other institutions, safeguard Lebanese sovereignty and prolong Palestinian resis­tance;

The conference examined the situa­tion in Lebanon as well as the steps and measures necessary to restore normal life to it while safeguarding its sovereignty and in­dependence, as well as the solidarity be­tween the Lebanese and Palestinian people and a collective Arab guarantee to this end, and announced a ceasefire and an end to the fighting in a final form as well as the complete adherence of all parties to this.

The Conference further decided to reinforce the present Arab peacekeeping troops so as to become a deterrent force working inside Lebanon and under the personal command of the Lebanese President.

The Conference unanimously decided to reject the parti­tioning of Lebanon in any shape or form, legal or actual, implicit or explicit and to affirm the commitment to safeguard Lebanon's national unity and territorial integrity and not to prejudice the unity of its territory or interfere in its domestic affairs in any manner.

The Conference hoped that all the Lebanese sides would hold a political dia­logue aiming at the realization of national reconciliation and the strengthening of the foundations of unity among the Lebanese people.

It was further agreed that the Cairo Agreement together with its appendices should be implemented, and the Chairman of the PLO expressed his complete adher­ence to it.

In this regard, the conference resolved to form a committee to include representatives from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Syrian Arab Republic and the State of Kuwait which would coordinate efforts with the President of the Lebanese Republic of all that is related to the implementation of the Cairo Agreement. The committee shall function for a period of 90 days from the date of the announcement of the ceasefire.

The Conference reaffirmed its adherence to the resolutions of the Seventh Arab Summit Conference in Rabat which adopted the PLO as the legitimate and sole representa­tive of the people of Palestine and expressed the commitment of all Arab member states of the Arab League to support the PLO and refrain from interfering in its affairs.

The PLO itself reiterated its policy of non­interference in the domestic affairs of any Arab country.

In this regard, the Conference reaffirmed the guarantees of all participating states for Lebanon's safety, security, sovereignty and independence.

The Conference also discussed the question of Lebanon's reconstruction and the material needs required to remove the traces of the conflict and repair the damages sustained by the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples.

The resolutions of this summit shall be put before the enlarged Arab summit conference [ meeting in Cairo] .

Resolutions of the [Eighth] Arab Summit

(Excerpts)

Cairo, 25-26 October 1976.

The Kings and presidents of member states of the Arab League at their meeting in Cairo at the headquarters of the League of Arab States on October 25 and 26, 1976, having reviewed the current situation in Lebanon, the results of the actions adopted at the Six-Party Arab Summit conference held in Riyadh on October 18, 1976, as well as the importance of Arab solidarity, resolve the following:

1. The current situation in Lebanon:

a.) To affirm the communique, the reso­lutions and the appendices issued at the six­-state Arab summit conference issued in Riyadh on October 18, 1976 and attached herewith.

b.) The Arab states shall contribute according to their abilities to the reconstruc­tion of Lebanon; shall offer material aid necessary to remove all traces of armed conflict and of the damage sustained by the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples; they shall extend rapid aid to the Lebanese government and the Palestine Liberation Organization.

2. Strengthening of Arab solidarity:

To reaffirm the commitment of Arab Kings and presidents to the resolutions of summit conferences and League council meetings in this regard, especially to the Charter of Arab solidarity promulgated at the Casablanca summit conference on September 15, 1965, and to undertake to implement all these resolutions completely and at once.

 

Source: Journal of Palestine Studies, vol. vi, no 2, Winter 1977.