Beirut  - Wednesday's summit in Riyadh paved the way for reconciliation and unification of the Arab position, Lebanon's Grand Sunni Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani said Thursday.

The results of the four-way meeting "will positively reflect on the regional situation, especially on Lebanon," he said in a statement. "If regional stability is to be achieved, Saudi Arabia's supportive role of Arab issues is vital."

He said the four-way meeting, preceding the summit scheduled to be held in Doha at the end of the month, ensured that joint Arab action would be taken in facing regional dangers and challenges, especially from "the Israeli enemy."

The summit hosted by Saudi King Abdullah was aimed at "clearing the air" among the Arab states, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said after the meeting closed.

The meeting brought together Saudi King Abdullah, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, his Egyptian counterpart Hosny Mubarak and Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah.

The aim was to iron out the relations amonf the Arab states ahead of Qatar's Arab summit at the end of the month.

Assad's visit to the Sunni kingdom marked a breakthrough in Saudi- Syrian relations after years of strain because of differences over the Palestinian cause and Shiite Iran.

Syria and Qatar back the Islamist Palestinian Hamas movement, while Saudi Arabia and Egypt are aligned with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah group.

Relations were also strained between Saudi Arabia and Syria after the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, who held dual Lebanese-Saudi nationality.

Damascus has denied accusations of involvement in the billionaire's slaying, which is now the subject of an international tribunal investigation based in The Hague. dpa