Monday, December 29, 2025
ADVT 
International

Kerry, Arab League chief discuss terrorism, regional issues

Darpan News Desk IANS, 13 Sep, 2014 08:18 AM
    Arab League Secretary General Nabil el-Arabi Saturday said his meeting with visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry focused on means to face terrorism, ending the Arab-Israeli conflict and the situation in Libya.
     
    Speaking after the meeting Saturday, Arabi said he explained to Kerry a decision taken by the Arab Foreign Ministers' Council last week on the need to make all-out efforts to counter challenges and extremism in the Arab world politically, militarily, culturally, intellectually, economically and judicially, state-run MENA news agency reported.
     
    He said he touched on the Arab-Israeli conflict and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' endeavours to reach a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli crisis.
     
    During a visit in March to Cairo, Kerry had pledged to end the conflict within months but nothing has happened so far, Arabi said.
     
    Kerry stressed he was in constant contact with both the Israeli and Palestinian sides, the Arab League chief said.
     
    The meeting also took up the situation in Libya, he said.
     
    Earlier, John Kerry arrived in the Egyptian capital Saturday in a bid to build up a coalition to counter and defeat the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, Xinhua reported.
     
    The visit is the latest leg of his Middle East tour that has taken him to Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
     
    Before his arrival, the top US diplomat managed to secure the support of 10 Arab nations for a global drive to clamp down on the terrorist group.
     
    At a conference in Jeddah Thursday, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pledged to "do their share" in the global fight against IS militants.
     
    However, Kerry ruled out the possibility of including Iran in the coalition, saying it was "not appropriate" for Tehran to join talks on combating IS militants.
     
    He also said it was "premature" to say what tasks individual coalition partners would have to perform.
     
    In Cairo, apart from al-Arabi, Kerry will also hold talks with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, as well as other senior Egyptian officials Saturday over "bilateral ties and regional issues of mutual concern", according to a foreign ministry statement.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    An Indian hand in Saudi Arabia-Iran reconciliation?

    An Indian hand in Saudi Arabia-Iran reconciliation?
    Are regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia heading for a rapprochement? Is there an Indian hand in this? Talk on the possible development in the Gulf swirled in the diplomatic and strategic circles as India played host to Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia

    An Indian hand in Saudi Arabia-Iran reconciliation?

    'Saudi economy is dependent on Indian workers'

    'Saudi economy is dependent on Indian workers'
    On Saudi Arabia's new "Nitaqat" labour policy that saw some 140,000 Indian expatriates returning home, Almunajjed said only those working illegally were affected.

    'Saudi economy is dependent on Indian workers'

    US College Board announces SAT overhaul

    US College Board announces SAT overhaul
    Creators of the US college entrance examination SAT have announced an overhaul of the test, eliminating mandatory essays, ending penalty for guessing wrong and cutting obscure vocabulary words.

    US College Board announces SAT overhaul

    Ukraine denies 'money-for-missile shield' talks with US

    Ukraine denies 'money-for-missile shield' talks with US
    Ukraine is not holding any talks on the deployment of US missile defence units on its territory in exchange for financial support, Ukrainian Ambassador in Belarus capital Minsk Mikhail Yezhel said Wednesday.

    Ukraine denies 'money-for-missile shield' talks with US

    Curious case of Yuan's strength: Still a one-way bet?

    Curious case of Yuan's strength: Still a one-way bet?
    Over the past four years, the gradual appreciation of the Chinese Yuan against the US dollar was considered a one way bet by currency traders.

    Curious case of Yuan's strength: Still a one-way bet?

    Vladimir Putin slams the 'coup' in Ukraine

    Vladimir Putin slams the 'coup' in Ukraine
    Putin said Yanukovych would have been killed if Russia did not give him refuge, and Moscow did so "on humanitarian motives". According to Putin, Russia received direct request from Yanukovych about military assistance. 

    Vladimir Putin slams the 'coup' in Ukraine