Arab League struggles against attempts made to evacuate its offices in New York

The Arab League (AL) has filed a judicial case against one of the American real estate agencies, because of what the AL called an attempt to evacuate its offices from Manhatten quarters in New York.

The Arab League said that pressures were made against it to leave the building where its offices are situated following the attacks of September 11.

The representative of the Arab League in New York Hussein Hassouna said the current rent contract is valid until 2003. He added he feels the AL is discriminated. Ambassador Hassouna filed the case against " Sagi Reality" for real estate administration. The said American agency sent on September 17, just one week after the terrorist attacks against New York and Washington an official message on behalf of the owner demanding the Arab League to evacuate its offices immediately.

The message claimed that other renters in that high building which includes several foreign and Arab embassies want the AL to quit its office because of their fears that its existence would raise security fears and bring problems to other citizens and renters who stay in the building.