KUWAIT, Jan 18 (KUNA) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora called Sunday for establishing a joint Arab economic action bloc comprising 50 individuals that could place strategic report within a short period.
In a keynote speech at the Arab Economic Forum's "Private Sector and Civil Society Forum," he said the report had to include a description and diagnosis of economic problems and proposed solutions that include means to provide the necessary resources and executive management.
He also proposed adopting a study prepared by the Arab League that called for developing and supporting Arab financial institutions such that they may enjoy a great capital basis that would allow them to finance Arab infrastructure projects that would indeed held secure economic integration.
He lauded the Kuwaiti initiative for holding this economic summit and hoped that it would become a periodic event, as it provided an opportunity for exchanging expertise in economic affairs.
Siniora also hoped the summit of leaders would create a "unity of address and will" to support the Palestinians in Gaza.
It is our duty now not to let pass this opportunity to rebuild our Arab society and to unify out stance on the Palestinian issue, he said, adding that the situation could not withstand any division.
Siniora went over the challenges that Arabs had been going through given the constant lack of political stability and security since 1948, and the wars, coups, conflicts and revolutions that passed in the region.
He said that one of the challenges was the weakness of the private sector, as economic policies lacked in coordination among Arab states, as well as under-developed infrastructure, weakness in services -- namely social security, education, health -- and lack of long-term vision for providing the needs of Arab states.
Siniora said there were seven main tracks along which action could be taken, the first being the need for unifying Arabs, saying that the absence of an Arab solution to the Palestinian crisis.
The second track, he said, was the need for serious action to separate political conflicts from economic issues, while the third track was working to find new energy resources.
As for the fourth track, he said it pertained to joint investment in education, while the fifth was for developing the health sector in order to end waste of resources in treatment abroad, while the sixth track was investment in agriculture and industry, and the final track was working to remove all legal obstacles that limited cooperation between the Arab states.
Moreover, Siniora called on civil society organizations to legally prosecute Israel, adding that "the more that Arabs hand surrender their cards to others, the more they lost the chance to find a solution." He said that it was "no longer acceptable to Arabs to resort to others whenever they themselves differed." On the global economic crisis, he said, "It could put an end to five years of fast-paced growth that was the result of the oil surge from one side, and the consequence of a decade of economic and urban reform from the other." Siniora said the Gaza crisis and the global economic meltdown constituted two fronts for Arabs -- one economic and the other political -- and that "they dictate that we review matters in line with the interests of our countries." The greatest challenge faced by Arab states for decade, however, "is the difference in visions and opinions," he concluded. (end) kt