Arab leaders adopt reform plan to send it to G8 summit

The 13-point reform document approved Sunday said Arab leaders were determined to pursue and intensify the process of political, economic, social and educational reform -- but according to their own national and cultural requirements, their religious values and their own "possibilities."

Other points called for fighting terrorism and expanding the bases of democracy and promoting human rights, as well as women's rights.

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In its preamble, the document links reforms to a just settlement of the conflicts facing the region, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"Now we have the first collective government commitment to reform," an Arab minister attending the summit told AFP.

"The consensus that emerged was very good given the political and social scene in the Arab world," the minister said on condition he not be named.

The rescheduled two-day summit, delayed for eight weeks after Tunisia abruptly cancelled it amid a row over reform proposals, opened amid popular Arab rage over the abuse of Iraqis at US-run prisons in Iraq and deadly Israeli military raids in the Gaza Strip.

Critics say the Arab leaders are powerless to do much against the US occupation of Iraq and Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.

The summit was marred on its opening day when Libya's Colonel Moamer Kadhafi walked out.

He made unspecified protests about the agenda and alluded to his previous complaints the Arab League was powerless to defend the Iraqis and Palestinians.

However, the Libyan delegation appeared to have approved the reform document.

In a satellite link-up from his headquarters in the West Bank, confined Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat urged his Arab counterparts on Saturday to lobby for international protection for his people and help rescue peace talks from more than three years of violence.

No formal mandate was given to Egypt and other Arab countries to discuss the reform plan with the international community, because of opposition from hardline Syria, delegates said.