RIYADH, March 29: Affirming “just and comprehensive peace as a strategic option for the Arab nation in accordance with the Arab peace initiative based on the land for peace” formula, the 19th Arab Summit ended in Riyadh on Thursday after re-launching the 2002 peace plan. The leaders reaffirmed the “commitment of all Arab states to the Arab peace initiative.”

Setting up of a working group was also announced to pursue the relaunched peace plan with the UN, EU, US and Russia.

In an unprecedented direct call to the Israeli government and Israeli people, the final Arab communiqué urged them ‘to accept the Arab peace initiative and seize the opportunity to resume the process of direct and serious negotiations on all tracks."

Speaking at the concluding session of the Riyadh summit on Thursday afternoon, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called up on Israel not to waste the chance for peace.

The peace offer "must be turned into a practical and comprehensive plan... applicable without any change in its clauses or even its text," Abbas said in the speech to the Arab summit.

Later talking to press at a joint press conference with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal made it clear that ‘ in case Israel rejects this offer, there would be no other (peace) initiative,’ from the Arab world.

After reports came in that Israel did not appear willing to accept the peace initiative, Prince Saud accused Israel of consistently rejecting Arab peace offers. “Such a position from Israel is not surprising. This has always been its approach,” he told reporters.

The Arab League also endorsed a call for increasing the participation of Sunnis in the nation building process in Iraq. Earlier in the day, Iraqi

President Jalal Talabani pledged in his speech to give more power to Iraqi Sunnis but also called upon Arab countries to help stem the ongoing Sunni insurgency in Iraq and forgive Iraqi debt.

The summit communique also warned of the danger of growing sectarianism and calls for a region free of weapons of mass destruction, sanctioning though the right to peaceful nuclear power.

This phrase could be looked at favourably in Tehran.