Egypt Ready To Host Arab Summit

"Egypt recognizes the necessity of convening the summit as soon as possible…and welcomes holding it at the Arab League host country (Egypt)," said a presidential statement carried by the official Middle East News Agency (MENA).

Cairo also voiced "astonishment and regret over the unexpected decision by the Tunisian foreign ministry Saturday evening to postpone the summit indefinitely."

Tunisian Secretary of state for Foreign Affairs Hatem ben Salem said overnight Saturday, March27 , his government "strongly regrets" putting off the summit, citing what he called failure to include Tunisian changes to a plan on Arab political reform.

The Egyptian statement said the postponement was "a breach of the principle agreed by all Arab heads of state that they should meet annually at the end of March to deal with the challenges and responsibilities facing the Arab nation."

In a phone interview with IslamOnline.net after the announcement, an Arab diplomat who participated in the summit preparatory meetings expected heavyweights Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria to "breath life into the dead Arab body".

The diplomat, who requested anonymity, expected "the Egyptian leadership to announce – after urgent consultations with Arab countries – readiness to host the summit within two weeks’ time in either Cairo or (Red Sea resort of) Sharm El-Sheikh."

Welcome

Meanwhile, Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa welcomed Egypt’s offer, adding he was engaged in consultations with Egyptian and Arab officials to agree on the venue and date of the summit.

"All the Arab countries expressed their discomfort over the postponement of the summit," Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted Mussa as telling reporters in Tunis.

Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Kurbi said in remarks published Sunday that the Arab summit could be held in Cairo.

"Contacts will take place in the next two days between Arab officials to set a new date and place for holding the summit … which could take place at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo," Kurbi told the official Al-Thawra newspaper.

Speaking by telephone from Tunis, Kurbi said the delay was driven by "the importance of continuing inter-Arab consultations, as well as apparent differences during the foreign ministers’ meeting" to prepare the summit agenda.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher told AFP that Arab governments now "must agree quickly on an early date and place to hold the summit."

Since the Arab League was founded 57 years ago, never has a host country called off a summit during high-level preparations for it.