CAIRO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League (AL) foreign ministerial council session opened here Sunday under the chairmanship of Tunisian Foreign Minister Abdelwaheb Abdallah to discuss a number of draft resolutions covering issues related to developments in the Middle East.

    Addressing the opening session, Abdelwaheb called for expanding channels of consultations among the Arab countries within the framework of an integrated Arab strategy to face dangers besetting the Arab world and protect the vital national interests.

    "The Arab world is facing threats both inside and outside and our responsibility is to join hands and unite visions to overcome these threats within the framework of an integrated Arab strategy," Abdelwaheb was quoted by Egyptian MENA news agency as saying.

    In his address, Abdelwaheb urged the international community and the Quartet of Middle East to work for lifting the siege imposed on the Palestinians where factions have been striving for forming a national unity government according to a Mecca agreement reached between two mainstream factions of Hamas and Fatah last month.

    Meanwhile, he called on the Palestinians to help themselves so that others can help them in order to reach a just settlement that runs in line with the international legitimacy resolutions.

    Concerning the daily tragedies taking place in Iraq, the Tunisian top diplomat said that "this situation urges us to exert more corporate efforts as Arab countries to cooperate with Iraq and the international sides to get Iraq out the cycle of violence and terrorism it is trapped into."

    He also lauded tireless efforts to address the political crisis in Lebanon, calling for preserving the stability and security of Lebanon.

    Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)Antonio Guterres attended the opening session.

    The Arab foreign ministerial council will discuss the latest developments in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestinians, Darfur and Somalia as well as preparations for the upcoming Arab Summit in Riyadh later this month, according to the Arab League Secretary General's spokesman Alaa Roshdi.

    The council will also probe Arab ties with Europe, China, Turkey and Latin America and call for activating the Arab presence in Africa.