Arab League Denies Hizbullah-Egypt Mediation
The Arab League denied mediating between Egypt and Hizbullah over an alleged cell accused of planning attacks inside Egyptian territories.
"The Arab League has no stance on the issue, because it is up to the courts in Egypt; it”s a court issue," the organization”s spokesman Abdul Alim al-Abyad told The Jerusalem Post.
"We are not involved in any mediation, because it is a judicial matter and it”s in front of the Egyptian courts," he reiterated.
He told the Israeli newspaper that Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa visited Beirut and held talks with top leaders although he mainly made the trip to attend a celebration at UNESCO palace announcing Beirut as "World Book Capital City 2009."
Lebanese media had said that Moussa discussed the crisis between Egypt and Hizbullah, along with the upcoming parliamentary elections and other developments in Lebanon and the region.
Al-Abyad, however, denied that the Arab League chief discussed the alleged Hizbullah cell issue with Lebanese leaders.
"He didn”t discuss it and we don”t discuss it at the Arab League," he said. "We have no position on that."
Moussa declined to respond to reporters” questions about the issue on Saturday but confirmed that quiet diplomatic efforts are underway, as President Michel Suleiman had previously stated.