Arab League chief calls for joint Arab military force

CAIRO, March 9 (KUNA) -- Arab League Secretary General Nabil Al-Araby has called urgently for setting up a joint Arab military and security force to be able to achieve all required missions.
Al-Araby made the remark in his inaugural speech at the 143rd session of the Arab Foreign Ministers at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo on Monday.
These missions include rapid intervention to combat terrorism, and the terrorist groups' activities as well as contributing to peacekeeping operations, securing relief and humanitarian aid and protecting civilians, he said.
He underlined the significance of cooperation in the fields related to maintaining security and exchanging data among countries, noting some of them are badly needed for stability and safety of the governments.
He said that there should be a collective decision to overcome serious challenges that all countries, peoples and governmental, and nongovernmental organizations are facing.
Al-Araby stressed, at the same time, that all member states have their sovereign rights to defend their regional security and safety by all means that materialize their visions and achieve their interests, national duties in line with the rules of the international law.
He referred that taking a political decision to use the joint militarily and security force should be in accordance with the league's charter and Arab treaties, agreements and resolutions as well as the principles of the United Nations, relevant resolutions and the rules of international law.
Taking such a decision requires a clear concept of cases that need this joint military force and at the same time a guarantee to maintain sovereignty and independence of member states, he added.
He said that it's time to crystalize a unified Arab stance towards the proposed challenges. (pickup previous) msh.mfm.rgh.maa.hm