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Mussa confirms Saudi attendance in upcoming summit in Syria

Other News Materials 9 March 2008 15:52 (UTC +04:00)

( dpa )- As Syria intensifies diplomatic efforts to ensure the upcoming Arab summit it is hosting is a success, Arab League Chief Amr Mussa confirmed Sunday that Saudi Arabia would attend - though it was left unclear at what level.

" Saudi Arabia will attend the summit in Damascus, but the representation is not decided yet," Mussa was quoted as saying to al- Arabiya news channel.

In the course of intensified diplomatic efforts to lift Saudi pressure on the Gulf countries not to attend the summit, a sudden meeting between Syria, Iran, Qatar and Oman was held Saturday night in Damascus to discuss the summit, scheduled for March 29.

Syria also sent its state minister for Red Crescent affairs with a message to Riyadh Sunday in an effort to reduce friction between Damascus and Saudi over the Lebanese crisis.

Some Arab countries, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have been accusing Syria of hindering a solution to the crisis, linking the summit's success with the election of a new president in Lebanon.

The Lebanese presidential seat has been vacant since former President Emile Lahoud ended his term on November 23, and the sharply-divided Lebanese parliament has delayed electing a new president 14 times after failing to reach a consensus

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