Arab FMs discuss Arab Court of Justice's creation amidst skepticism over the statute

KHARTOUM, March 24 (KUNA) -- Arab foreign ministers, to meet in Khartoum Saturday, will discuss a draft resolution over the statute of the Arab Court of Justice (ACT) to refer it to the Arab leaders who will meet in the Sudanese capital next Tuesday.

The top diplomats will review the draft resolution and place their comments about 48 articles that organize the work of ACT.

The ACT, considered as the major judicial body of the Arab League, consists of a panel made of nine judges selected via direct secret ballot by the council of the League. The term of the judges is six years and non-renewable.

Every Arab country will have the right to file a complaint with the ACT about conflicts, which are solved in accordance with the Arab League charter, annexed protocols and agreements signed within the League, according to the draft resolution.

It proposed an independent budget for ACT, and money are spent in line with the court's financial system. The Arab countries payments in the budget of the ACT are according to their contributions in the budget of the Arab League.

Hosever, four Gulf countries voiced reservations over the budget payments. Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) requested budget contributions to be equal among member states.

Oman and Jordan presented some notes about the authorities of ACT in explaining the Arab League charter. Muscat and Amman believe that explaining the charter and its annexed protocols should be carried out in line with a request from the council of the League and not independently by the ACT.

Saudi Arabia said it would accept the establishment of ACT providing the court's rulings be in compliance with the holy Quran and teachings of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and UAE registered some notes on article 46 of the ACT statute, and requested the elimination of the article to cope with article 19 of the Arab League charter.

But Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Jordan see the opposite and called for keeping article 46.

Well-informed Arab diplomats ruled out the ratification of the ACT draft resolution because of the reservations by the member states.