Arab League Calls Emergency Session on U.S. Libyan Raid
An emergency session of Arab leaders that is expected to center on the U.S. bombing of Libya will take place in the Moroccan city of Fez on May 3, officials said Saturday.
Morocco’s King Hassan II had hoped to convene the conference of Arab League nations on Monday, but several Arab leaders were reported to have asked for a delay. The Arab League consists of 20 nations and the Palestine Liberation Organization.
The summit, which will follow a preparatory meeting of foreign ministers on Tuesday, is expected to deal with the American bombing of the Libyan cities of Tripoli and Benghazi on April 15 and a decision by the 12-nation European Communities to reduce the number of Libyan diplomats and restrict the movement of Libyans in Europe to counter Libyan-backed terrorism.
Arab nations condemned the United States for the bombing. But whether they would take concrete action in protest is uncertain.
At a summit earlier this year, Libyan leader Col. Moammar Kadafi asked Arab leaders to provide financial aid to help relieve the economic blow Libya suffered when the United States imposed an economic boycott of Libyan products.The league passed a resolution condemning the U.S. action but declined to provide aid to Kadafi.
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