The Arab League (LAS) is ready to offer Russia and Ukraine mediation and to become a platform for talks, Al Arabiya TV channel reported on Sunday, citing its own sources.
"Egypt, together with Arab countries, is looking to host Russian and Ukrainian delegations," the TV channel quoted the source as saying. - "Egyptian-Arab proposals include a cease-fire initiative between Russia and Ukraine." However, the TV channel quoted LAS Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki as saying, "the Arab delegation will first hear from both sides, and after assessing the situation, will study the next steps."
An Arab contact group consisting of the foreign ministers of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, are scheduled to consult in Moscow on April 4.
As an Arab diplomatic source explained to TASS on Sunday, "Any mediation begins with listening to the parties to the conflict." "The Arab initiative (to send a delegation to Moscow - TASS) is dictated by the interest of Arab countries in the earliest settlement of the conflict because of its negative consequences for the Arab region," the source said. - "The Arab countries have been strongly affected by the Ukrainian crisis, they are acting within the framework of the decision of the urgent meeting of the Council of the League, trying to help in finding ways of settlement in the interests of the parties and other states". According to the source, after Moscow, the Arab ministerial delegation will head to Warsaw for a meeting with the Ukrainian side.
On April 1, Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki told TASS that "the Arab countries, which have friendly relations with both the Russian and Ukrainian sides, are making efforts to find a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis and end the hostilities". According to him, it is too early to talk about any Arab initiatives to resolve the crisis. Furthermore, speaking about the possibility of holding one of the rounds of Russian-Ukrainian talks under the auspices of the LAS or in an Arab country, the Egyptian diplomat explained that "it is important now to help both sides reach permanent agreements and restore peace."
The decision to create an Arab contact group on the Ukrainian crisis was adopted at a meeting of the Arab League Council in Cairo on March 9. The task of the group is to "monitor and conduct the necessary consultations and contacts with all interested parties in order to help find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from TASS