Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Wednesday stated Lebanon has lost two "golden chances" by boycotting the forthcoming Arab Summit that would convene in Damascus. Muallem, speaking at a press conference in Damascus, said Lebanon "lost a golden chance to discuss its crisis and bolster the Arab initiative in addition to loosing another golden chance to discuss Syrian-Lebanese relations."
According to AFP, he called for cooperation between Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt "that maintain special relations with Lebanese parties to cooperate with the aim of implementing the Arab initiative." The Arab initiative, according to Muallem, "belongs to all the Arabs … and enjoys international blessing except for that of the United States. It also enjoys the blessing of all the Lebanese parties."
Reaching a settlement to the ongoing political crisis "is the responsibility of the Lebanese (factions) because a settlement should be a Lebanese settlement. Arab states should encourage the Lebanese parties to get involved in dialogue to achieve consensus based on the concept of no conqueror, no vanquished," the Syrian minister added. © 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
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