The Riyadh Arab summit presents an important opportunity for Arab countries: to strengthen a pragmatic coalition capable of confronting extremism in the Arab world, recommitting to the Arab peace initiative and advancing regional peace processes.

The new Quartet, comprising Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, is now recognized and encouraged by the rest of the world; witness the meeting just held between US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and leaders of the four states. The veteran Quartet made up of the UN, US, Russia and the EU functions on the basis of the lowest common denominator and generates more paralysis than new initiatives. In contrast, the new Quartet is likely to be more active, if only because it is acting on the basis of an egotistical but legitimate concern for the survival of its member regimes. Having concluded that in order to save themselves they must make a supreme effort to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, these leaders are likely to surprise us with their readiness to lead in directions where hitherto none had dared to venture.

I well remember a conversation with President Anwar Sadat that took place between the Camp David agreements of autumn 1978 and the Israeli-Egyptian peace pact signed in March 1979. I asked him which Arab state would be the second to make peace with Israel and he replied without hesitation, "Saudi Arabia". It was a bad mistake. The Saudis linked up with other Arab countries that resolutely opposed the agreement with Israel and lent a hand in boycotting Egypt, expelling it from the Arab League and moving the League's headquarters from Cairo to Tunis.

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