These sessions were attended by 23 Arab and Muslim nations; they were held at the Conference Center in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia. Other public figures including UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon, EU Foreign Policy Representative Javier Solana, Islamic Conference Organization Secretary-General Ihsanoglu and representatives from other nations attended as special guests.

Although the Iraq crisis is at the top of the political agenda in Iraq and the world, the agenda at the meeting of Arab leaders in Riyadh went in such a way that the King of Saudi Arabia's proposed peace plan for Palestine became the focus of the discussions.

The Saudi organizers of this meeting expected the conference to produce agreement on a new way to achieve reconciliation between the Arabs and Israel and to establish peace in the Middle East, but parts of the Saudi Arabia Peace Plan were opposed by the Israelis.

One of the requirements of the Saudia Arabia Peace Plan was an Israeli withdrawal to its 1967 borders and a return of Palestian refugees to their homeland in return for official recognition of Israel by the Arab nations. However statements by some of the representatives of Arab nations made it clear they are opposed to normalizing relations with Israel.

In this regard in a reaction to remarks by the Zionist regime's foreign minister on the necessity of normalizing relations with Israel before establishing peace, the Egyptian foreign minister said:

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu al-Geyt speaking through interpreter: This is never acceptable to the Arab nations. When we achieve peace and when the land for peace program is implemented, one will be able to speak of normalizing relations.

Announcer: Even before the remarks were made by some officials from Arab nations, the obstacles to implementing the Saudi Arabia Peace Plan and normalizing relations between the Arabs and Israel were clear, because during the Riyadh meeting where the Arab leaders had on the conference agenda support for the proposed Saudi Arabia Peace Plan, the Zionists rejected the plan.

Shimon Peres said in a visit to the northern occupied territories:

Shimon Peres speaking through interpreter: The 2002 Arab Peace Plan presented in Beirut included positions against Israel. We can resolve the diffences we have with the Arabs over the peace plan through negotiations, not through dictating their agendas.

Announcer: These remarks by Shimon Peres were made one day after the failure of Condoleeza Rice's mission to create understanding between the Arabs and the Israel and they showed well that America and the Zionist regime are playing with the Arabs too; moreover they are not even committed to the plans they have presented themselves.

Crossposted to Satellite News (Iran)