Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit participated in the consultative meeting of Arab foreign ministers held in New York on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly. He also met with a number of international officials in New York to discuss a number of Arab files, mainly the Palestinian cause. Ambassador Mahmoud Afifi, spokesman for the Secretary-General, said that the meeting witnessed an exchange of views on the most important topics on the agenda of the current session of the General Assembly. He also said that extensive talks were held with the aim of securing as much international support as possible for Arab visions and stances. Afifi also said that Dr. Riyad Al Malki, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Palestine, presented during the meeting the latest developments and the contacts made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to face the repercussions of the recent US decisions, including the suspension of the financial contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The Palestinian minister expressed his appreciation in this regard to the Arab countries which have provided additional financial support to the international agency to cover the gaps that resulted from the US decision. According to the spokesman, the consultative meeting also witnessed an exchange of views on the latest developments in Syria, Libya and Yemen, where the ministers agreed on the need to activate the relevant resolutions issued by the Arab League. Aboul Gheit also met with Federica Mogherini, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, with whom he reviewed developments in Arab countries witnessing armed conflicts. The secretary-general highly valued the European stance on the Palestinian issue, including the EU’s commitment to the two-state solution.