by daily star.com.lb SWEIMEH, Jordan/BEIRUT: Bearing a message of peace to the Arab Summit, President Michel Aoun Wednesday called for cooperation and reconciliation across the Arab world, a process he said Lebanon could be an intrinsic part of. “The Arab League, which is the institution that unifies the Arabs, must regain its role and mission in virtue of the principles, objectives and spirit of its charter in order to preserve its member states and to save its people, its sovereignty, its independence and its wealth,” Aoun said in his speech to the summit.

“Its pressing role today is to take the reins of an efficient initiative that is likely to influence the course of events, put an end to the bloodshed and extinguish the raging fire.” The president also highlighted Lebanon’s assistance to refugees, but reiterated the detrimental consequences of the presence of such a large number of Syrian refugees. “Alleviating the misery of the displaced, saving them from the hardship of their forced emigration, and sparing Lebanon the socio-economic, security and political fallout of the constant increase in numbers, will only be achieved by their safe return to their homes,” he said. The Arab Summit was a resounding success, and the Arab League had a substantial role to play in this achievement, sources who participated in the conference told The Daily Star. Jordan welcomed 18 heads of state to the shores of the Dead Sea, a large turnout rarely witnessed at Arab Summits.

Aoun, 82, gave his speech after suffering what looked to be a particularly nasty fall as he arrived at the summit. Video footage showed the president’s tumble, which quickly went viral on social media. A statement was issued by the president’s office saying Aoun was in good health and would proceed at the conference.

Aoun was accompanied by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and Economy Minister Raed Khoury as part of the Lebanese delegation. A member of the delegation told The Daily Star that Lebanon’s foremost achievement was its ability to offer a united front, exemplified by the amicable relationship between Aoun and Hariri, despite a failed attempt at undermining this unity by some of Lebanon’s previous leaders on the eve of the summit.U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ speech at the summit, during which he focused on making Beirut a center of civilizations and culture, was met with positivity by Arab leaders who welcomed the idea.

Before his speech, Aoun met with Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud. Following the speeches by heads of state, Hariri accompanied the Saudi Arabian monarch to Riyadh on the royal aircraft. The move dispelled previous allegations that Hariri’s once close relationship with Saudi Arabia had soured in recent years.

A noteworthy aspect of the summit was that no state took a stance on Hezbollah, an issue the subject of intense debate during last year’s conference.

The Lebanese seem rarely capable of providing a unified stance. A letter penned by former Lebanese leaders – former presidents Michel Sleiman and Amine Gemayel, as well as former prime ministers Fouad Siniora, Tammam Salam and Najib Mikati – to the summit decrying nonstate arms was seen as an attempt to undermine Lebanon’s official position.

The three-page letter addressed of five issues: adherence to the Taif Accord; compliance with international obligations, including U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701; the proliferation of illegal arms in Lebanon; the Baabda Declaration; and means to prevent interference in the Syrian crisis – a jab at Hezbollah.

Any damage that could have resulted from the letter was avoided. It later became know that the letter had been sent only to King Abdullah of Jordan, and not the Arab League. King Abdullah did not bring up the matter, and the only letters discussed during the summit were documents sent by the French and Russian presidents.

The decisions of the summit also represented a resounding success on Jordan’s part, sources said.

Rumors claiming that Aoun’s relationship with Gulf states had been tarnished following his pro-Hezbollah stance ahead of a visit to Egypt last month were also dismissed after the president met with the rulers of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Speaker Nabih Berri condemned the letter Tuesday. “What are the positives in making Lebanon look like this?” Berri said. “It’s an unfavorable and unprecedented move. It’s unacceptable,” Al-Akhbar newspaper reported the speaker as saying. Berri also claimed that the letter’s objective was to “discredit” Aoun.

Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk also condemned the document. Speaking on the sidelines of a security conference in the UAE’s Abu Dhabi, he described the statement as a “national sin,” the state-run National News Agency reported. “No one sends a document to the Arab Summit over a Lebanese dispute, and no one should try to outdo us when it comes to Arabism or the [rejection] of Hezbollah’s arms, nor of Iranian policy,” the Future Movement-affiliated minister said. “Whoever transgresses geographical borders, transgresses limits in politics.”

The letter was also met with widespread condemnation by the Cabinet Tuesday, a local daily Al-Liwa reported Wednesday.

During the Cabinet session chaired by Aoun in Baabda to discuss the electricity reform plan, Finance Minister Ali Hasan Khalil was first to bring up the subject, claiming it weakened Lebanon’s united position at the Arab Summit. Speaking to Al-Liwa, Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar accused the five former officials of supporting a foreign agenda, describing them as a “malicious package of five small slaves.”

Siniora has since defended the letter.

“The letter is to boost Lebanon’s position and is aimed at pointing out that there are viewpoints that reject the silence on illegitimate arms,” he told a local TV station. He denied that the letter aimed to discredit Aoun’s term as president.

Separately, Berri also commented on the ongoing electoral law saga, which has preoccupied politicians since the formation of the Cabinet late last year.

He stressed that there needs to be a clear distinction between a “technical” delay and any other delay in the upcoming Parliamentary elections, local daily Al-Joumhouria reported.

“I do not support a parliamentary extension, period,” Berri said while receiving visitors at his Ain al-Tineh residence. “But when it comes to a technical delay, I will support it if it’s the only way.”