ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

The 1964 Arab League Summit in Alexandria

The second Arab League summit was held on September 11, 1964, at Montaza Palace in Alexandria, Egypt. This gathering brought together leaders from various Arab states to address pressing issues and strengthen regional cooperation.

Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and recent tensions in the region, the summit focused on countering Israeli aggression. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who also served as the president of the United Arab Republic at that time, played a pivotal role in organizing the conference. The summit's agenda included discussions on Palestine liberation, military cooperation to protect Jordan River waters, and combating British colonialism.

The conference issued several key resolutions, including:

1. A joint Arab plan for liberating Palestine, which could be implemented immediately or in the future.
2. Projects aimed at utilizing and protecting Jordan River waters militarily.
3. Welcoming the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and supporting its decision to establish a Palestinian Liberation Army.
4. Confronting hostile forces opposing Arabs, particularly Britain, which had occupied some Arab territories and exploited their resources.

The summit also emphasized cooperation with African nations, promoting African-Asian solidarity, and supporting regional unity. Key decisions included:

* Establishing a joint Arab council for the peaceful use of nuclear energy
* Directing efforts towards creating an Arab information plan
* Removing colonial rules that threatened regional security, particularly in Cyprus and Aden

The conference concluded by welcoming King Hassan II's invitation to hold the next summit conference in September 1965 at Morocco. This gathering marked a significant moment in Arab League history, as it brought together leaders from various countries to address pressing issues and strengthen regional cooperation.

Key Participants

Notable participants included:

* Egypt: President Gamal Abdel Nasser (technically president of the United Arab Republic)
* Syria: President Amin al-Hafiz
* Yemen: President Abdullah as-Sallal (Yemen Arab Republic)
* Kuwait: Prince Abdullah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah
* Lebanon: President Charles Helou
* Libya: King Idris of Libya
* Morocco: Prince Moulay Abdallah of Morocco
* Palestine: Ahmad

Key Absentee States

Some key states were not represented at the summit due to their recent independence from British colonial rule. These included:

* Bahrain: Emir Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa
* Oman: Sultan Said bin Taimur of Muscat and