Abul Gheit Urges Lebanon to 'Ensure Respect' for Arab Delegations

Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit voiced "deep concern" Monday over the burning of the Libyan flag in Beirut, a few days before an Arab economic summit that will be held at the capital's Seaside Arena venue.

He called on Lebanon to "ensure full respect for the delegations of member states from the Arab League who must participate in the summit meetings."

On Sunday, supporters of the AMAL Movement replaced a Libyan flag with their movement’s flag near the Seaside Arena venue in Beirut in protest at the invitation of Libya to the summit. They also removed another flag in the Zaytunay Bay area.

Tensions had surged in recent days over the issue of Libya’s participation.

AMAL accuses the former regime of slain Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi of kidnapping its revered founder Imam Moussa al-Sadr during a visit to Libya in 1978.

The case has strained Libyan-Lebanese ties for the past four decades and in recent days the invitation and talk of the possibility of freeing Gadhafi’s son Hannibal from Lebanese prisons have deepened tensions between AMAL and the Free Patriotic Movement.

On Monday, Libya officially announced that it would boycott the summit.