Arab diplomatic sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the ruling Supreme Council for the Armed Forces in Egypt has not notified the Arab League or Arab countries of any Egyptian nominees to succeed Amr Moussa, Secretary-General for the Arab League. Moussa’s term is set to expire on 15 May.
The sources said that former Minister of State Moufeed Shehab, who was nominated to the position by former President Hosni Mubarak, remains Egypt’s nominee.
The sources also said that the Arab League has not yet been informed of nominees for the position, whether from Egypt or from other Arab states.
The general secretariat of the Arab League sent a memorandum last month to the delegates of Arab countries belonging to the league. The message informed them that the position of secretary-general will be vacant from 15 May and called for countries to present their nominees.
The corridors of the Arab League have witnessed wide disputes over who will assume the position and the date for holding the next Arab Summit.
Iraqi politicians had called for former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to take the position. However, Iraqi delegate Qays al-Azzawi told Al-Masry Al-Youm: “I have not received any request from Baghdad concerning this matter until now. If there had been any seriousness in this proposal, I would have been informed about it by Iraq’s Foreign Ministry.”
Iraq also announced that Arab foreign ministries decided to set 11 May as the date for the next Arab Summit during their emergency meeting last Saturday to address the Libyan crisis.
However, Moussa denied this claim, saying consultations concerning the date of the summit remain ongoing.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
