AL chief heads for Libya today, hoping Libya change its mind

The secretary general of the Arab league (AL) Amr Moussa will head today for Libya to meet with Libya's Leader of the Revolution Colonel Muammar al Qathafi with the aim of settling the crisis raised by Tripoli's determination to withdraw from the Arab League.

The AL spokesman Hesham Youssef told reporters that " Moussa decided to visit Libya very soon where he will be meeting with President Qathafi and the African unity affairs (minister) in Libya Ali Abdul Salaam al-Tureiki." Youssef added in a statement that " this visit comes after the AL general secretariat had received a notification from Libya expressing desire to pullout from the Arab League." Yesterday, an official source in Tripoli confirmed news on Moussa's visit and said that the AL chief "expressed hope that Libya will reconsider this decision," noting that the visit will last for several hours.

Moussa, who had discussed this matter in a telephone conversation with the Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Maher, stressed on Thursday evening that Libya's announcement to withdraw from the AL is a sort of "protest of the general Arab conditions." He added " I will study the Libyan request," noting he has continued contacts with the Libyan officials.