Iraq prepares to host next Arab League 2010-05-29
Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Hoshyar Zebari will head the committee tasked with preparing for the next summit.
Iraq has started early preparations to host the next Arab League Summit in March 2011 -- an event that will signal the country's return to the Arab and international fold, officials said.
According to current Arab League protocol, Arab capitals host the summits in alphabetical order. Based on this rule, the last summit was supposed to be held in Baghdad, but instead was held in the Libyan city of Sirte because of security concerns.
After the last summit, a special ministerial committee was formed to propose the necessary measures to ensure Iraq successfully hosts the conference.
The committee will be headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hoshyar Zebari and will include high-ranking representatives from Iraqi ministries and departments.
"The approval of the cabinet to form the committee was made based on the report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was also made to examine all aspects of hosting the summit," said Iraqi government official spokesperson Ali al-Dabbagh.
"The necessary steps to prepare for the Arab summit and organise it require quick decision-making process and the provision of an emergency fund to complete the project on hosting the summit," he continued.
Iraq's permanent representative to the Arab League Qais al-Izzawi said that preparations for the Arab summit were in full swing.
Measures proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include preparing a large area in the capital to build a complex of conference halls, meeting facilities, villas for Arab presidents and kings, houses and apartments for foreign ministers, as well as residential units and hotels for the rest of delegations, guests, and journalists.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs undersecretary Lubaid Abbawi said the committee will begin its work soon by studying all the logistical and technical measures necessary to prepare for the summit.
One of the goals is to create joint work plans between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries.
Undersecretary Abbawi described the Arab support for holding the next conference on Iraqi soil as "a victory and a stance of solidarity with the Iraqi cause".
"We would like to express our strong appreciation and respect for all countries that supported us in the need to host the summit, given that it was an Iraqi right that cannot be ignored, especially as Iraq is considered one of the founding members of the Arab League," Abbawi said.
"This gathering will support Iraqi-Arab relations and will bring the country back to its former place as a leading country in hosting international conferences, festivals, and meetings at the highest levels," said Abbawi.
Political analyst Aref al-Jameeli believes the summit will help Iraq end the international isolation that the county has faced for many years while under UN sanctions and difficult security conditions.
"We are looking forward to the success of this summit. Such a success would restore international trust in Iraq's ability to protect and secure diplomatic missions and representations," said al-Jameeli. "It would also intensify the economic and investment presence and improve cultural co-operation with different countries across the world."
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Iraq’s hosting of the upcoming Arab Summit will have a great role in changing the viewpoint of some Arab and Western countries about Iraq. In addition to that, it will contribute to Iraq's return to the international community, and at the same time, it will provide definite proof of the established security in Iraq now, and will put an end to violence and terrorism. The Iraqi government should continue to insist on its right to hold the Arab Summit, as it is a permanent member country of the Arab League, and this summit is held each year in a state of one of the member countries. Iraq has the right to host the summit, which will be at the level of the summit when it's Iraq's turn to host it. The Arab Summit will discuss many topics, and it will be the most important evidence of Iraq's development; it will be an opportunity to preserve the unity, to support the government and the Iraqi people, and to encourage Arab and foreign countries to invest in Iraq, because it is a country ready for investment; it has good activity and a great geographic location, and this will support and strengthen the Iraqi economy greatly. Arab countries have to agree that Iraq will host the next Arab Summit, and the Iraqi people and leaders need to stick to their right to host it.
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