Deadline set for pan-national force study

AMMAN — Arab army chiefs on Saturday set June 29 as the deadline to complete the mission of forming a joint Arab force and presenting the results of their work to the presidency of the Arab summit.

The decision was taken during the chiefs’ second meeting, headed by Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Hegazy, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported from Cairo.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Gen. Mashal Al Zaben represented Jordan at the meeting.

The opening session of the two-day conference started with the condemnation of the terrorist act that took place in Saudi Arabia on Friday and a moment of silence for the souls of the victims.

The second meeting is a continuation of the first meeting held on April 22 in implementation of the decision taken during the 26th Arab Summit held at Sharm El Sheikh earlier this year.

The summit assigned the Arab League’s secretariat to invite Arab army leaders from member countries to examine the prospects of forming a joint Arab force, suggest executive measures and estimate the needed budget.

Arab army leaders are expected to review the current situation and the challenges it poses to pan-Arab security, especially the dangers resulting from the actions of terrorist groups, Petra said.