Al-Sahwa [Archives:2005/829/Press Review]

24 Mar. 2005
Main headlines

– JMP: The government objective misleading the public opinion and terrorize opposition

– Parliament approves formation of investigation committee, ministers of information and interior summoned

– Exposed attempt to hold the JMP responsible for the demonstrations, 15 people arrested, other 5 injured

– People's committee in defense of al-Mouyad and Zaid calls on Algiers summit to protest to condemning them for supporting the Palestinian people

Writer Majeed al-Hamidi writes about the conclusion of Algiers summit saying no one in the Arab street does attach hope to the Arab summit, adding that that was what opinion polls, conducted by a number of media tools, had affirmed. On the other hand, the Israeli foreign minister was optimistic about that summit, confirming that Ten Arab States would begin normalization of their relations with Israel immediately after the summit.

While the level of Arab representation at the summit receded by the absence of one third of Arab leaders, the international presence was eye-catching.

The UN secretary-general, Solana representing the European Union, head of the African Union, the Spanish prime minister, and representatives from Russia, France, and Italy and many others from the world have attended the summit.

With the low level of Arab leaders' presence at the summit, observers noted the faintness of the level of talking about the project of Arab political reforms that Tunisia's summit had talked about. The summit of Algiers has continued affirming the local peculiarities the Arab regimes take as a pretext for hindering any efforts for a real reform.
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[archive-e:829-v:13-y:2005-d:2005-03-31-p:press]