Lebanon Could Boycott Damascus Summit

by **Admin** Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:26 pm

Lebanon could turn down Syria's invitation for an upcoming Arab Summit after a visit by Syria's Assistant Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous was apparently timed to avoid contact with Prime Minister Fouad Saniora, who is attending an Islamic summit in Dakar.
The daily An Nahar said Friday that the "ambiguous invitation" will likely reinforce the government's inclination to boycott the summit scheduled in Damascus March 28-29.

The invitation came during a meeting on Thursday between Arnous and resigned opposition Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh.

Arnous, the first Syrian official to visit Lebanon in 18 months, did not speak to reporters.

A statement released by Syria's foreign ministry in Damascus, however, quoted him as saying that "because of the constitutional vacuum in the presidential post in Lebanon, Syria will welcome whoever Lebanon chooses to represent it in the summit."

It was not clear whether Saniora would attend the summit, which Saudi Arabia and Egypt have earlier threatened to boycott but now they say they will take part, although it is not clear if their heads of state will attend.