Arab Ministers of Environment meets in Cairo instead of Benghazi, Libya

A well-informed source in the Arab League said yesterday that Libya apologized in the last moment for being unable to host a meeting for the Arab ministers of environment which was due in Benghazi yesterday.

The source explained that the Arab League received an official apology from the Libyan authorities for not hosting the meeting, which was due in Benghazi for two days, and was held instead at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo, without any Libyan representative participation.

On the other hand, an Arab diplomatic source said that "Libya's apology to host the meeting of the Arab foreign ministers came in implementation of its policy not to take part in any Arab ministerial meetings since the beginning of the year." Meantime, meetings of the 15th session of the Arab Environment Ministers Council began its deliberations today at the Arab League headquarters.

The Council also reviewed the environmental situation in Iraq and the destruction caused by the American forces there. It discussed a report on the free trade zone and issues related to sustainable development.

The ministers decided to hold the coming session on the 8th and the 9th of December 2004.