s ▁of ▁their ▁counter parts ▁elsewhere ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁In ▁an ▁increasing ly ▁global ▁economy , ▁both ▁want ▁to ▁avoid ▁dom ination ▁by ▁the ▁mult in ational s . ▁ ▁Yet ▁the ▁sum mit ▁remained ▁focused ▁on ▁politics ▁rather ▁than ▁econom ics , ▁with ▁a ▁joint ▁call ▁on ▁Israel ▁to ▁dis m ant le ▁settlement s , ▁concern ▁about ▁US ▁san ctions ▁against ▁Sy ria , ▁a ▁call ▁for ▁UN ▁reform , ▁and ▁Arab ▁support ▁for ▁Argentina ' s ▁position ▁on ▁the ▁F alk land ▁Islands . ▁Develop ing ▁business ▁relations ▁between ▁the ▁Arab ▁world ▁and ▁South ▁America ▁will ▁provide ▁an ▁in valu able ▁balance ▁to ▁both ▁regions ' ▁over dep end ence ▁on ▁Europe , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁and ▁Japan ▁for ▁imports ▁and ▁expert ise . ▁ ▁Brazil ▁ ▁Brazil ▁was ▁admitted ▁as ▁an ▁observer ▁to ▁the ▁Arab ▁League ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁or ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁The ▁country ▁has ▁a ▁strong ▁Arab ▁her itage , ▁with ▁over ▁ 1 2 ▁million ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁Arab ic ▁descent , ▁many ▁of ▁them ▁from ▁Leb anon . ▁The ▁first ▁Sum mit ▁of ▁South ▁American ▁and ▁Arab ▁Count ries ▁( AS PA ) ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Brazil ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁with ▁ 3 4 ▁countries ▁att ending . ▁ ▁Venezuela ▁ ▁Venezuela ▁has ▁a ▁large ▁Arab ▁population ▁from ▁Sy ria , ▁Leb anon ▁and ▁Palest ine , ▁has ▁supported ▁the ▁Palest in ian ▁C ause , ▁and ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁two ▁Latin