ALGIERS, March 23 (Xinhuanet) -- The 17th Arab League (AL) summit was capped with the approval of the Algiers Declaration at the closing session on Wednesday.

    The main points of the declaration follow:

    -- The Arab leaders underlined the importance of putting into effect the Arab peace initiative that called for Israel's withdrawal from Arab lands, including the Syrian Golan Height, tothe borders of June 4, 1967, facilitating the establishment of an independent state of Palestine in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip with east Jerusalem as its capital and reaching a just settlement to the issue of refugees.

    If Israel complies with the Arab peace initiative, Arab countries will consider the Arab-Israeli conflict over and start normal relations with Tel Aviv.

    The peace process should be dealt with as an inseparable whole based on international legitimacy and the land for peace principle.Land seizure is not permissible.

    -- They underlined that any unilateral Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories should be part of the roadmap peace planand in line with the Sharm el-Sheikh understandings. It should alsobe an initial step toward a full Israeli pullout to the borders of1967.

    -- The Arab leaders denounced the building of the Israeli separation wall and underlined the paramount importance of a legal opinion issued by the International Court of Justice that the wall building was illegal.

    -- They renewed their support of Syria in its endeavors to restore the Golan Heights.

    The leaders also voiced their rejection of the so-called Syria Accountability Act, urging Washington to enter into dialogue with Damascus in good faith in a bid to end differences.

    -- The Arab leaders supported Lebanon's sovereign rights to have its own political options within the framework of constitutional rules and norms.

    They also expressed support of free decisions by Lebanon on enhancing relations with other Arab countries, taking into consideration the historical relations between Lebanon and Syria.The Arab leaders renewed their support for Lebanon's efforts toliberate its lands and its demands for releasing its nationals inIsraeli jails.

    The leaders urged the UN Security Council to stop the Israeli violations against Lebanon.

    -- The Arab leaders urged the Arab Peace Initiative Committee toseek to get the UN Security Council or General Assembly issue aresolution adopting the Arab peace initiative as a framework for apeaceful settlement to the Middle East conflict.

    -- The Arab leaders also underlined their respect for Iraq'sunity and sovereignty and the necessity of non-interference in Iraq's internal affairs.

    The statement underscored the necessity of enhancing the Arab League's role in Iraq including restoring Iraq's diplomatic relations with Arab countries to their natural level.

    The Arab leaders denounced all forms of terrorism and violencein Iraq.

    The Arab leaders welcomed a step taken by creditor countries onslimming down Iraqi debts by 80 percent. They urged Arab creditor countries to take a similar move.

    -- The Arab leaders renewed their support of the sovereignty ofthe United Arab Emirates over the three disputed islands of Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Moussa.

    They urged Iran to end its occupation of the three islands and stop imposing a fait accompli policy.

    -- The Arab leaders supported Sudan's efforts to maintain peace and stability over Sudanese lands.

    They welcomed hammering out an agreement between the Khartoum government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in the Kenyan capital Nairobi in January this year.

    They expressed deep worries regarding developments in the western Sudanese region of Darfur and the humanitarian crisis there.

    They supported efforts made by the African Union to help settlethe Darfur crisis.

    They urged the parties concerned to resume peace negotiations on the situation in Darfur without preconditions.

    -- They expressed worries over the international community's failure to respond to Arab initiatives calling for rendering the Middle East a region free of weapons of mass destruction.They said that Israel, being the sole country in the region having nuclear weapons and rejecting to subject its nuclear facilities to international inspection, was posing a threat to theregion.

    The Arab leaders renewed their demand for holding a United Nations conference on rendering the Middle East an area free of weapons of mass destruction.

    -- The Arab leaders renewed their denunciation of all forms of terrorism whatsoever its justifications.

    They pressed for addressing the root causes of terrorism. Theyalso called for more international cooperation in fighting terrorism within the framework of law and respect for human rights.

    -- They expressed their resolve to maintain the Arab economic integration process through setting up an Arab Customs Union.They also expressed their support of any Arab country seeking tojoin the World Trade Organization (WTO).

    -- The Arab leaders endorsed adding a new clause to the ArabLeague Charter calling for setting up an interim Arab parliament and setting up a mechanism for following up the implementation of resolutions.

    -- They also approved introducing amendments to para 2 of article 6 of the Charter on a vote in case of a member state comin gunder attack.

    -- The Arab leaders endorsed a new text of article 7 of the AL Charter amending the mechanism of decision making.

    The leaders also entrusted the AL chief with starting consultations with member states on forming ad hoc committees debating two blueprints on setting up an Arab court of justice andan Arab security council ahead of referring the two drafts to the Arab summit in its coming session. Enditem