CAIRO: The Arab Economic Summit kicked off in Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday, headed by President Mubarak. In the presence of several Arab ministers and officials, Arab League chief Amr Moussa warned the region's leaders to address economic and other problems that sparked Tunisia's political upheaval, because they were issues that affected all Arab states. “What is happening in Tunisia in terms of the revolution is not an issue far from the issues of this summit which is economic and social development,” Moussa said. “It is on everyone's mind that the Arab self is broken by poverty, unemployment and a general slide in indicators,” he said, referring to events in Tunisia as an example of “big social shocks that many Arab societies are exposed to.” At the same summit, Kuwaiti emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah called for Tunisian national unity to resolve a crisis sparked by the ousting of Tunisia's president after a wave of public protests. The summit included issues such as the impact of the recent Tunisian political crisis and the protests that have erupted in several Arab states in part due to rising prices. The summit was expected to endorse an Egyptian proposal to formally reject “foreign intervention” in Arab affairs, according to an Arab League source. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that Cairo was seeking Arab support to counter Western calls for the protection of Christian minorities in Iraq and Egypt. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossam Zaki said Egypt would propose that participants discuss a resolution condemning “Western interference in domestic Arab affairs under the pretext of protecting Christians.” Unexpectedly, Tunisian Foreign Minister Kamal Morjane left Sharm al-Sheikh on Wednesday, hours before the start of the Arab Economic Summit. Morjane flew from Sharm al-Sheikh to Cairo early in the morning. Airport staff was surprised to discover him among the travelers on a Tunisia-bound flight. He was seen off by an official from his country's embassy in Cairo. He declined to comment on why he was leaving prior to representing Tunisia at the summit. BM
