TUNIS, April 1 (Xinhua) -- The General Secretariat of the Arab Interior Ministers Council (AIMC) announced here on Wednesday that it would strengthen the joint security strategy of its member countries.
Chaired by Ahmed Hajjar, Lebanon's Minister of Interior and Municipalities, the council's 43rd annual session addressed a wide array of cross-border security challenges, including terrorism, drug trafficking, cybercrime, and illegal immigration, with participants reaffirming commitment to strengthening joint Arab security cooperation.
According to the AIMC General Secretariat, the session discussed a second-phase plan for an upgraded Arab strategy to combat terrorism, which will further advance collective security efforts across the Arab region.
In a closing statement, the council expressed denunciation of the attacks targeting the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan.
The council also condemned Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories since 1967, its expansion policies, and its aggression against Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria.
Some ministers voiced condemnation of the Israeli Knesset's approval of a law to execute Palestinian prisoners, describing the move as a "war crime" and a crime against humanity, as well as a blatant and flagrant violation of all international and humanitarian conventions and norms.
The ministers also reaffirmed their support for Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and backed the Lebanese government's decision to restrict weapons to state institutions. ■
