Former Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said that Egypt's role in the region and the Arab world is irreplaceable.

Speaking at the Arab Economic Forum here on Tuesday, Siniora called for inter-Arab cooperation to resolve the region's problems and tackle the threats of terror groups, Iranian interference and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

He urged the Arab countries to seek a political solution to the Yemeni crisis and to launch a development program there.

There is vagueness on how to preserve Arab national security, Siniora opined, noting that the unresolved Palestinian crisis and the chaos in Iraq gave an opportunity to the Iranians to stretch their wings in the region.

It is not a Sunni-Shia conflict, he said, the conflict is between the forces of moderation and the forces of extremism that seek to exploit religion.

The Lebanese politician called for economic reforms in the Arab countries to confront the surge of extremism in the region.
Source: MENA