Arab League office in Iraq, Arab summit delay

The secretary general of the Arab League (AL) Amr Moussa said on Tuesday that the Arab foreign ministers will discuss in their meeting tomorrow and on Friday in Cairo the convening of an urgent Arab summit Egypt had called for.

Moussa told journalists after meetings for the AL council at the level of permanent representatives that the "idea of convening the urgent Arab summit which called for by Presidnet Hosni Mubarak is still valid." He added there is an agreement to discuss a special item relating to Arab preparation and coordination on the summit during the close- door consultation meeting for the Arab foreign ministers which will be held on Thursday evening.

Arab diplomatic sources said that the meeting of permanent representatives concluded a recommendation draft resolution over Iraq including the opening of a representation office for the AL in Baghdad.

Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs ambassador Hani Khallaf said Monday that he expected most of Arab foreign ministers to participate in the regular ministerial meetings of the Arab League's new session.

AL permanent delegates will meet Wednesday in preparation for the ministerial meetings due in Thursday.

The delegates will probe 21 topics on the Ministers' agenda including Palestine, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia and Mauritania.

Sources at the Pan-Arab organization said that a number of Arab FMs would ask for calling off a proposed emergency summit for busy agendas of Arab leaders and the advent of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

Khallaf said that there was a tendency that in case FMs succeeded to solve the hot issues on the Arab arena, the summit would not be needed.