Arab summit to be held on March 8, Saudi reservations

Diplomatic sources in Beirut said that March 8 will be the initial date assumed for convening the ordinary Arab summit which was transferred from Manama to Cairo. This summit, will not be, at any rate delayed beyond March 15. Saudi Arabia showed reservations on an early date for convening it without clear justifications.

The Saudi foreign minister prince Saud al-Faisal said in a bimonthly press conference in Riyadh yesterday "my impressions is that an early date for the summit and changing it without clear justifications, will not give to the Arab summit, the credibility we aspire." He added "we have received the suggestion to change the venue and date of the summit yesterday ( Tuesday), and my government is still studying this matter on highest level."

However, an official source at the Arab League said yesterday that the Arab summit will be held in the mid of March and not at its beginning, noting that Bahrain "asked" for transferring the summit to Cairo "because of the military threats in the Gulf." The source explained that the "expected date for the summit is the mid of March following the consent of the Arab League to convene it in Cairo."

Meantime, The secretary general of the Arab League Amr Moussa said that the "final date of the summit will be defined during the emergency summit of the Ministerial council on February 16, under the chairmanship of Lebanon." News reports in Cairo said that the "next summit will be held at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo and under the chairmanship of Bahrain by the beginning of March."