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| Arab League delays summit amid Mideast unrest | |
| 2011-04-21 | |
| BAGHDAD — An Arab League summit planned for Baghdad next month was postponed again Wednesday as political unrest continues to roil the Middle East. The delay was not unexpected, but it drew protests from Iraqi leaders, who had argued that the summit could give Arab countries an important first chance to discuss the changes taking places across the region. Iraq lawmakers said the forum’s second postponement also indicated that neighboring Arab leaders intend never to hold the conference in Baghdad, which, although safer than in recent years, still struggles with near-daily incidents of violence. An aide to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said on state-run television Wednesday that representatives of the Arab League would meet May 15 to choose a new date for the conference. It was not clear whether Baghdad would remain the venue. The deputy secretary general of the 22-member organization was quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying that unrest, not the security situation in Baghdad, has led to the delay. “The public mood in the region is transitional, nervous and rebellious, which leads us to ask whether it is wise to hold a summit in this period,” Ahmed Ben Hilli said. Several experts have speculated that Arab leaders might not be willing to leave their countries for months for fear their absence could encourage protesters.
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| Posted by:Steve White |