CAIRO
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi on Monday stressed the need for a joint Arab military force to combat ostensible threats in the region.
At a meeting of league foreign ministers in Cairo, al-Arabi said Arab governments should consider establishing a joint force to fight terrorism, maintain peace, assist in the delivery of humanitarian aid, and protect civilian populations.
"Consideration of this issue should be based on the collective responsibility that we all have – as states and peoples – regarding the serious challenges we face," al-Arabi said.
He said that Arab national security currently faced what he described as a "dangerous situation."
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, for his part, said that ongoing chaos in certain Arab states was fertile soil for the growth of terrorism and extremism.
"This is a very critical juncture," Shoukry said. "There are challenges that cry for attention."
