CAIRO: Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit鈥檚 talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad on Wednesday focused on Israeli aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Aboul Gheit received Mekdad at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.

The meeting underscored 鈥渢he global inability to halt daily massacres in Gaza, revealing double standards in decision-making countries that continue to provide cover for Israel鈥檚 policies despite the exposed brutality and violation of fundamental standards of humanity and morality,鈥� according to Jamal Rushdi, spokesman for the Arab League chief.

The Arab bloc鈥檚 chief emphasized the consensus among Arab countries on preserving Syria鈥檚 sovereignty, the integrity of its national territory, and the withdrawal of illegal foreign forces from its lands.

Meanwhile, Aboul Gheit received Mohamed Ali Omar, Somali acting foreign minister. Aboul Gheit affirmed the bloc鈥檚 supportive stance toward Somalia, Rushdi said.

鈥淭he League of Arab States stands in solidarity with Somalia in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity, while rejecting the memorandum of understanding signed between Ethiopia and the 鈥楽omaliland鈥� region last January,鈥� Aboul Gheit said.

The two parties discussed ways and procedures to implement League Council Resolution No. 8988, dated Jan. 17, regarding support for Somalia in confronting the attack on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ethiopia signed an agreement last January granting it naval and commercial access to a port on Somaliland鈥檚 coast in exchange for recognition of the breakaway region鈥檚 independence.

Last January, during a meeting in Egypt with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Aboul Gheit described a memorandum of understanding signed between Ethiopia and the Somaliland region as null, void, and unacceptable.