Cairo  - Foreign ministers of the Arab League gathered in Cairo on Monday for talks expected to centre on the Palestinian situation and the crisis in Darfur.

Chaired by Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, the session was due to begin in the evening.

Among those participating are Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Arab League Chief Amr Mussa.

The ministers also planned to discuss a unified Arab position to free the region from nuclear weapons.

According to diplomatic sources, Syria wants the ministers to take up the issue of US sanctions preventing Syria and Sudan buying or renting commercial planes.

Syria said such actions violated international civil aviation treaties, international law and the United Nations Charter.

On another topic, Saudi Arabia was expected to call on the ministers to strengthen Arab their ties with Muslim countries in Central Asia.

One proposal was for Arab countries to open embassies in Central Asian capitals in a bid to offset growing Israeli economic activity in the region. (dpa)