Military

DATE=10/22/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ARAB SUMMIT (L)

NUMBER=2-268281

BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB

DATELINE=CAIRO

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Arab leaders have concluded an emergency summit in Egypt calling for an end to any normalization of relations with Israel and castigating it for the recent violence against Palestinians. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from Cairo that the summit was held amid rising calls by Arab populations for a strong response to the weeks of violence in the Palestinian territories.

TEXT: Arab leaders Sunday warned Israel that the Arab people will not allow them to remain idle in the face of the violence, which they blame on overly aggressive Israeli policies.

Summit spokesman Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa told reporters Arab leaders mean business. He said they have taken a clear-cut position. And he said they have taken steps to deal with what he called the destruction of the peace process and the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people.

/// MOUSSA ACT ///

Now there is a path. There is a plan. There is an agreement among the Arab states concerning relations with Israel, concerning the future of any regional cooperation, and to deal with the crimes that have been committed against the civilians in the occupied territories.

/// END ACT ///

The summit has frozen economic and cultural cooperation with Israel and established a one-billion-dollar fund to support the Palestinian uprising, the intifada.

It is also calling for the United Nations to set up a commission to investigate the violence and establish an international tribunal, similar to ones for Rwanda and Kosovo, to prosecute those responsible for it.

In their final declaration, Arab leaders call for an end to the normalization of ties with the Israeli state. A half-dozen Arab states had undertaken such ties.

Oman, Morocco, and Tunisia have announced they are closing trade missions and recalling envoys. Qatar said it is considering similar moves.

The Arab leaders did not call for countries, like Egypt and Jordan, that have full ties with Israel to cut them, but it warned that Israel would be to blame if this does occur.

Arab leaders agreed to hold annual meetings, beginning in Jordan next March, to maintain Arab unity on this and other issues.

/// REST OPT ///

The Arab League's assistant secretary-general for Palestinian affairs, Sa'id Kamal, told V-O-A the Palestinian delegation overall was pleased with the outcome.

/// KAMAL ACT ///

I am sure that the [Palestinian] public, they are not satisfied. They are looking more and more. But we are here. We know as a politician the counsel of every country. And we should be reasonable and realistic. I think it's a good start.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Kamal said the Palestinian uprising is likely to continue until the Israeli government ends the violence and moves to resolve the impasse over Jerusalem that led to it. (SIGNED)

NEB/SB/ALW/RAE