Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit on Tuesday expressed hope for consolidating Arab-European cooperation.

In his speech at the fourth Arab-European ministerial meeting in the AL premises, he noted that such cooperation is aimed at implementing joint programs to attain shared goals in a set timetable.

He asserted that dialogue between both sides has started long time ago. Even though, several potentials are not yet tapped, he added.

"Today's meeting is invested with special importance in light of the current crises facing our region", he said.

He urged the European side to use its political weight for ending violence in Syria and work for hammering out a political solution to the crisis.

As for the Palestinian issue, he said that it will remain the major Arab cause and its continuation will remain one of the major causes of instability in the region.

The Israeli settlement in the Palestinian territories is illegitimate and void of any legal justification, he said.

Abul Gheit made reference to the crises in Libya, Yemen and Iraq, noting that the Arab and European sides should work for ending the suffering of peoples of these countries.

Source: MENA