Talks are underway to persuade the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Egypt to attend tomorrow's Arab summit, Gulf News was told on Sunday.
President of Sudan Omar Al Bashir and Arab League General Secretary Amr Mousa are in constant contact with Riyadh and Cairo to "iron out a few details," a senior Sudanese official said.
King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia is reportedly skipping the summit as is President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.
An on-air clash between King Abdullah and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi a couple of years ago prompted the Saudi monarch to boycott all meetings attended by Gaddafi. Mubarak, sources said earlier, may skip the meeting because of security concerns. He escaped an attempt on his life in 1993 while on a visit to Addis Ababa. Cairo blamed Islamists close to the Sudan regime for the failed attempt.
The Sudanese official shrugged off the Egyptian concerns, pointing out that "Khartoum is far safer than Cairo itself."
He said the Egyptian attitude was "regrettable" but voiced hope that the ongoing talks would persuade both leaders to show up. The absence of the leaders of Arab powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Egypt would be considered a summit failure. Traditionally, important resolutions need both men's consent.
On Saturday, delegates to the foreign ministers preparatory meeting said other leaders expected to stay away include President Zein Al Abedine Bin Ali of Tunisia, Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman and Bahrain's King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa.
