Al-Kurbi calls Cairo meeting a success [Archives:2005/822/Local News]

By Yemen Times News Services
Yemen has described a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo as “successful” in drafting the agenda of the next Arab summit.

Foreign Minister Abu Baker al-Kurbi, upon his return to Sanaa Friday, said the Arab ministers “were able to secure consensus over many key issues, including the reforms they want to introduce to the Arab League, the establishment of an Arab parliament and the mechanism of voting.”

The summit is scheduled to take place in Algiers in late March.

Kurbi said agreement was also reached on the need to implement the 1989 Taif agreement, which ended Lebanon's civil strife and outlined the nature of relations between Lebanon and Syria.

The Taif agreement stipulated the phased withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon, a demand which the Lebanese opposition has been pressing in the past months.

Al-Kurbi also said the ministers reaffirmed commitment to Iraq's unity, security and territorial integrity and welcomed the Iraqi elections held in January as a first step toward stability and independence.
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