CAIRO, Mar 29 (Aswat Masriya) - Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Araby said on Sunday that a call for a meeting of the chiefs of staff of the countries willing to partake in the joint military force will take place within a month.

The chiefs of staff will discuss matters such as mechanisms and budgeting, Araby said in a press conference, aired on Egyptian television, after the conclusion of the 26th AL summit. 

Arab leaders agreed in principle to establishing a unified military force, during the summit. 

Araby said the proposed joint force will include the league's member states that are willing to partake, stressing that it is "optional". 

"Maintaining Arab national security is without a doubt the most important" outcome of the summit, Araby said. He added that there are specific steps attached with the decision.

According to state-run state agency MENA, the proposed force "will carry out rapid military intervention and other tasks assigned to it to confront challenges threatening the security and peace of any of its members states and their sovereignty, and posing as direct threats to Arab national security, including threats from terrorist organisations." 

The intervention will be carried out at the request of the state in question. 

Egypt backs the joint force and has been steadfast on calls to establish it, especially since launching airstrikes on militant targets in Libya in February. 

In his opening speech at the summit on Saturday, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said the challenges faced by the Arab world necessitate a joint Arab military force to overcome them.