my my my, that old stalwart for all that is right in the pan arab region has been, gosh, snubbed.

It simply must be a zionist plot.

I am shocked this has not been posted. Shocked.

The Arab League summit in Damascus is
due to begin on Saturday [AFP]



Egypt is to send only a low-level delegation to the upcoming Arab League summit in Damascus.

Mufid Shehab, minister for legal affairs and legislative councils, is to lead the delegation Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Egypt's foreign minister, told the official MENA news agency on Wednesday.

Shehab will attend the Damascus summit, due to begin on Saturday, in place of Egypt's president.

The snub reflects tensions with Syria over the political crisis in Lebanon, the continuation of which Egypt and other powers blame on Syria.

Snub

The move comes after Saudi Arabia said it would only be sending its Arab League ambassador to the summit and Lebanon announced it would be boycotting the meeting altogether.

Relations between Syria and the Arab allies of the US have deteriorated over a string of issues, including Syria's support for the Palestinian group Hamas and its alliance with Iran, as well as the situation in Lebanon.

"This announcement by Egypt was really rather unexpected," said Amani Soliman, Al Jazeera's Middle East editor.

"It seems that Saudi Arabia really set the tone."

Walid al-Moallem, Syria's foreign minister stopped short of criticising Saudi Arabia and Egypt on Wednesday, but suggested the US was behind the Lebanon's boycott.

Political stalemate

Egypt and Saudi Arabia have both accused Damascus of preventing Lebanon from electing a new president.

Lebanon's presidency has been vacant since November, when the term of Emile Lahoud, the pro-Syria president, ended.

The Lebanese opposition, led by Hezbollah, which has links to Syria, has been boycotting parliament to prevent the body from choosing a successor.

The US and its Arab allies, on the other hand, have heavily backed Lebanon's government, led by Fouad Siniora, the prime minister.

Al Jazeera English - News - Egypt Snub To Syria On Arab Summit




and this is downright rude-

Only 12 of the 22 countries of the Arab League dispatched their heads of state to the conference, with Saudi Arabia and Egypt sending minor officials and Lebanon sending no one.

Arab League meets, conflicted over host Syria - Los Angeles Times

__________________

"The captain has turned off the `No Dubbing' sign. You are free to speak any language you choose."