Sudan denies boycott of summit by some Arab leaders

Mar 26, 2006 (KHRTOUM) — Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir denied allegation on Sunday that some Arab leaders would boycott the Arab summit due to be held in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Asked to comment on a media report that at least four Arab heads of state would be absent from the summit, Al-Bashir said that Sudan enjoyed excellent relations with all other Arab countries and “no Arab leader has taken a position against Sudan”.

“Every Arab leader has his own circumstances, and we respect the circumstances which prevent any Arab leader from attending the summit,” he added.

Sudanese media reported that the heads of state of Tunis, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Egypt would not participate in the Khartoum summit.

However, journalists here were surprised by the arrival of Libyan Leader Muammar Gadhafi earlier on Sunday because he was reported to be absent from the summit.

Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Musa said last Thursday that the attendance of the summit would be “intensive” since no Arab leader had submitted to the AL secretariat an apology for his absence.

(Xinhua/ST)