ISLAMABAD: In a major initiative, the US-Arab-Islamic Summit of Riyadh would disassociate ‘terrorism’ from any particular religion, culture, civilisation or region.
The summit taking place today (Sunday) in the Saudi capital would transform narrative pertaining to terror and extremism of which genesis had previously been attributed to Muslims. The development will bring conspicuous significance to the summit that was proposed by the US President Donald Trump and being hosted by Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz.
Iran and Syria have been ignored for extending invitation of the summit. Syria is also a suspended member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Turkey is current chairman of the OIC but its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also not attending the summit as Ankara is being represented at ministerial echelon. Highly placed diplomatic sources confided to The News that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who will be among the distinguished Muslim world leaders participating in the deliberations, would put across Pakistan’s case on account of its fight against terrorism and extremism since it has made significant achievements by offering remarkable sacrifices. Situation in Afghanistan is also likely to figure in the discussions. It is understood that the third of the series of summit after bilateral between King Salman bin Abdul Aziz and President Trump and Arab Leaders with the US president and Muslim countries’ leaders with the visiting US president would take place in close-doors of King’s palace. Most of the meetings will take place at King Salman bin Abdul Aziz’s Murabba Palace. The summit will also focus largely on combating Daesh and other extremist groups. Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, who has been indicted on war crime and genocide charges, has announced not to attend the summit for personal reasons. The centrepiece of Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia will be his address today (Sunday) at the Arab-Islamic-American Summit. It is understood that the address would be counter to Obama's 2009 speech to the Muslim world, which Trump criticised as too apologetic for US actions in the region. Trump will call for unity in the fight against radicalism in the Muslim world, casting the challenge as a "battle between good and evil" and urging Arab leaders to "drive out the terrorists from your places of worship." The draft notably refrains from mentioning democracy and human rights, topics Arab leaders often view as US moralising, in favour of the more limited goals of peace and stability. It also abandons some of the harsh anti-Muslim rhetoric that defined Trump's presidential campaign and does not contain the words "radical Islamic terror," a phrase Trump repeatedly criticised his arch rival Hillary Clinton for not using during last year's campaign. Donald Trump’s presence among the Muslim leaders would be demonstration of his retreating of his harsh comments offered by him during his presidential election campaign against Islam and the Muslims. It has been officially stated here Saturday that on the invitation of King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 21-23 May 2017 to participate in the first trilateral US-Arab-Islamic Summit. In addition to King Salman and US President Donald Trump, 55 heads of state and government from the Muslim world have been invited to participate in the summit. The summit in Riyadh will provide an opportunity for the participating countries to discuss how to overcome the menace of terrorism and extremism across the world. The summit is expected to delink ‘terrorism’ from any particular religion, culture, civilisation or region.
In his address at the summit, Nawaz Sharif will focus on Islam’s message of peace, tolerance and unity. He will highlight the great sacrifices and major successes achieved by Pakistan in defeating the scourge of terrorism and extremism in the region. The Prime Minister will also join the world leaders to attend the inauguration ceremony of the World Centre against Extremism, an important counter-radicalisation initiative by Saudi Arabia.
