Suleiman Will Not Attend Arab Summit in Libya
Information Minister Tareq Mitri has unveiled that President Michel Suleiman will not attend the Arab summit in Libya end of this month following demands by the Shiite community to boycott the meeting.
Sources from Speaker Nabih Berri's Development and Liberation bloc told An Nahar daily that "Lebanon's participation in the summit is a very dangerous issue and would worsen the situation in the country."Shiites have been demanding Lebanese authorities to boycott the summit over the disappearance of Imam Moussa al-Sadr. In 1978, the Shiite religious leader flew to Tripoli for a week of talks with Libyan officials. He was never seen or heard from again.
Meanwhile, Arab League chief Amr Moussa told An Nahar that he hasn't been asked to deliver any invitation to Lebanon to participate in the summit.
It is the responsibility of the host country to do so, he said. "When I last visited Beirut, I agreed with officials that Lebanese representation at the summit should be (at the level of) responsibility and that the government would decide on the level."
Moussa is expected to visit Beirut on March 18 to attend USEK's celebration of the establishment of the Arab League.
