Turkey supported the extraordinary session the Arab League would hold on crisis in Lebanon on Sunday.

- 11 / 05 / 2008 10:09

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said that Turkey saw the extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Arab League as a right step, and extended support to it.

"We have expressed our deep sorrow and concerns that ongoing tension in Lebanon turned into armed clashes between the parties, and we have said that the international community should undertake responsibilities to solve the problem," the ministry said in a statement.

 In its statement, the ministry said that Turkey backed the extraordinary session of the Arab League.

The political crisis exploded into violence in Lebanon on Wednesday when supporters of the Hezbollah-led opposition blocked roads in the capital to enforce a strike called by labor unions protesting the government's economic policies and demanding pay raises.

The strike escalated into street confrontations between supporters of the rival camps. About a dozen people were injured.

On Thursday, the violence spread outside the capital. The Arab League is a regional organization of Arab States in Southwest Asia and North Africa. It was formed in Cairo on March 22nd, 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.

Yemen joined as a member on May 5th, 1945.

The Arab League currently has 22 members. The main goal of the League is to draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate collaboration between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries.

AA