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On the coming session of the AL council

ArabicNews.Com, 14 August 1999

A high-ranking Arab source has denied rumors of the apology of several Arab Gulf ministers for not taking part in the coming session of the Arab League AL council which will be presided over by Iraq.

In a statement to the London-based al-Sharq al-Alwsat daily issued today the source added that the AL has not so far received any apology.

Concerning the Arab summit, Egyptian sources told the paper that two trends exist: one welcoming the convening of the summit. This category includes Egypt, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Libya, Algeria and Palestine and another trend, the Egyptian sources added, is not pleased at convening such a summit with the participation of Iraq, adding that most member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council side with this view.

The paper expected, according to the sources, that the coming phase will witness a calm down by the Iraqi side in the way it deals with its own conditions and in the work to improve its Arab relations during its coming presidency of the AL council, especially following pressures, the sources said, that have been imposed by Iran on Iraq.