RIYADH, 10 March 2008 — A visiting Syrian delegation yesterday delivered an invitation to Saudi Arabia to join the 20th Arab summit in Damascus later this month, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The invitation was delivered to Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal by Bassam Al-Sabbagh, director of the Syrian foreign minister’s office and Minister of State for Red Crescent Affairs Bashar Al-Sho’ar.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa told Al-Arabiya television in comments aired yesterday that Saudi Arabia would attend the March 29-30 summit but it was yet to be decided at which level.
Diplomats and analysts say Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah is unlikely to attend the Arab League’s annual summit in Syria unless political deadlock in Lebanon is resolved. Saudi Arabia blames Syria for the failure of Damascus-allied Lebanese opposition forces to reach a deal with the government on electing a new Lebanese president.
The election of a new president has been delayed since November because of a dispute over the division of seats in the new Cabinet between the government and opposition.
