BEIRUT, Lebanon, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Leaders of French-speaking countries went behind closed doors Saturday to discuss combating terrorism, the Middle East's explosive situation, security and peace in Africa and the future political outlook of their 55-member Francophonie Organization.
By touching such shaky and apparently conflicting international political issues, the gathering -- of European, African, Asian and Northern American countries -- was showing ambitions to transform itself into a political organization.
However, not all its members appear to be in agreement over the problem of Iraq and the Arab-Israeli conflict, and signs were being leaked of defiance to the United State's post-Sept. 11 international policies.
"The Francophonie is not a boxing ring but a place for dialogue," Charles Rizk, spokesman of the 9th Francophonie summit, said on the second day of meetings in Beirut.
Rizk explained that French President Jacques Chirac focused on using international resolutions to combat terrorism after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks in New York and Washington.
Chirac emphasized using U.N. Security Council Resolution 1367 and U.N. General Assembly Resolution 4651, as well as respect for human rights, to address the roots of terrorism.
The French president warned that combating terrorism should not be conducted in a "suppressive framework and instead tackle the roots that are leading to terrorism."
"Combating terrorism should be done in a civilized way and the Francophonie members should take part in this effort because the contrary means to fall in the trap of the terrorists," Rizk quoted Chirac as saying.
Rizk said the Beirut participants were opposing to any "unilateral" approach for ending the Iraqi crisis and insisted on a solution within the framework of the United Nations.
The Middle East conflict was again a main topic during Saturday's discussions. Lebanese President Emile Lahoud emphasized that it was a struggle between Israel and the Arabs and was not limited to the Palestinians.
Lahoud urged the participants to support the Arabs to end the struggle with the Jewish state based on the Arab peace initiative adopted at the Arab summit in Beirut last March as well as the land-for-peace principle of the Madrid conference that launched the Arab-Israeli peace process in1991.
Asked about the presence of Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon's anti-Israeli militant group, Hezbollah, Rizk said Nasrallah attended based on an official invitation by the Lebanese authorities in a move meant to give a "precious" meaning to the summit which is tackling "the dialogue of cultures and diversity."
Nasrallah's presence at the Friday opening appeared to have embarrassed Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Sitting in the first row along other Lebanese Muslim and religious leaders, Nasrallah was only few meters away from Chretien who was later showered with questions from Canadian journalists.
In his opening speech, Chretien avoid all references to political issues, focusing instead on establishing a mechanism of cultural diversity.
"He (Nasrallah) was the guest of (the Lebanese) government and it's not my concern to say who should be invited and who should not," Chretien told journalists on Friday.
Hezbollah, who fought Israeli forces until their withdrawal from south Lebanon in May 2000 after 22 years of occupation, has been on the U.S. list of terrorist organization since Sept. 11 attacks.
